


We Wish You a Mayday Christmas

by rachaellikestoread



Category: Suikoden, Suikoden III
Genre: An Ass-Kicking Christmas, Anti-Climax Boss, Christmas, Deus Ex Machina, Mood Whiplash, Multi, Ship Tease, torture mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2015-12-21
Packaged: 2018-05-08 03:21:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5481449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachaellikestoread/pseuds/rachaellikestoread
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After leaving Hikusaak's service, Sasarai must return to Harmonia to rescue Dios and his family from a hostage situation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Wish You a Mayday Christmas

Clack, clack, clack.

Sasarai's boots rang sharply on the marble floor that led to the inner chambers of the Circle Palace where High Priest Hikusaak waited. In his hands, he carried a small, unadorned wooden box. The closer he got to his destination, the more tightly he had to clutch the box to keep from dropping it. It would hardly do to spend half an hour cleaning up the box's precious contents: Lord Hikusaak, after all, did not like to be kept waiting.

As Sasarai finally reached the door to Hikusaak's room, he reminded himself of his duty once again. There was no turning back now. He could never again return to his state of blissful ignorance. He must tell Lord Hikusaak that he knew the truth, for it would be wrong to keep such things from him.

Would His Holiness understand?

It was now or never. Sasarai rang the bell.

According to custom, a bishop had to stand unmoving for at least ten minutes before attempting another ring, after which he must wait another ten minutes before leaving; however, it was considered polite to wait for at least an hour. Lord Hikusaak's time was very precious, but on the flip side, he could not always be expected to drop everything he was doing for a subordinate.

The door opened, and one of the elders, Lord Eusebio, greeted him warmly with a kiss on both cheeks. "Welcome, Sasarai," he said, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "Lord Hikusaak is expecting you. Please come in."

Sasarai nodded and entered. "Thank you, Lord Eusebio."

"Are you all right?" Eusebio asked, his brows furrowed with concern. "You're so pale."

"I'm fine, elder," Sasarai assured him. "I'm just a little tired."

"Well, get some rest when you're done with your appointment, all right?"

Sasarai gave him a pleasant smile. "I fully intend to do so."

As required by custom, Eusebio remained in the waiting room so that Sasarai could speak with the High Priest alone. 

Hikusaak was a tall man who could only be described as "skinny." Rumor had it that the Circle Rune kept him from gaining any fat or muscle, leaving him with a frame so slight that it was almost offputting. His hair was platinum blond, and his eyes a pale shade of blue. Even so, he struck a wise, almost grandfatherly figure when Sasarai was alone with him.

Sasarai dropped to his knees and bowed low. "High Priest of the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia, Representative of the Circle Rune, Holy Father and Beloved of my soul, my Lord Hikusaak, I thank You for honoring Your most humble of servants with Your presence."

"You may rise, Sasarai." Hikusaak's voice was calm and soothingly monotonous. "I trust you know why I summoned you here this morning."

"Yes, my Lord." Sasarai slowly got to his feet and stared expressionlessly at his superior. "We have successfully defeated Luc and his forces. Because we were acting without permission from the Temple, there was no need for us to arrange for more than a temporary truce with the Grasslanders and Zexens."

"And the True Fire Rune?"

"It is in the possession of a Karayan youth," Sasarai said. "It was necessary to cooperate with the Grasslanders in order to stop Luc. It would not have been prudent to take it from him at that point. Furthermore, the number of Harmonian soldiers, officers, and scouts accompanying us was dwarfed by the number of Zexen, Grassland, and independent soldiers. Even with my True Earth Rune, I would not have been able to overpower all of them."

Hikusaak brushed Sasarai's response aside with a flick of his hand. "It is of no consequence, Sasarai. I am aware of the True Fire Rune's power, and with the successors to the True Water and Lightning Runes also close by, I agree with your reasoning. More importantly, what has happened to the True Wind Rune?"

"Luc is dead." Sasarai's blood pounded in his ears as he spoke. "His body was unable to handle the full power of the Rune."

Hikusaak nodded. "He was an unsuitable successor from the beginning. Even I can only guess as to why that Rune chose him. Now that he is dead, you and others must locate the True Wind Rune as quickly as possible. If a weak soul inherits the memories of that unstable young man, there is no telling the destruction he will cause." His lips turned upward in a gentle smile. "Sasarai. Isn't there something you wish to ask me?"

This was it. "Lord Hikusaak...When Luc stole my True Earth Rune, he told me something...unsettling."

"And what was that?"

"He said..." Sasarai forced himself to maintain eye contact with Hikusaak. "He said that he and I were your...your clones."

"Oh, Sasarai." Hikusaak shook his head in disbelief. "You and I look nothing alike. Surely you know he was lying to you. He was a frightened, unstable child. Nothing he said can be taken seriously. You must not let his words lead you astray." Finally, he seemed to notice the box in Sasarai's hands. "What is this you have brought me?"

"A gift." Sasarai couldn't keep himself from smiling. "And a message from Luc. It was his last request. As his only surviving family member, I felt obligated to honor it. Will you hear Luc's message? His final words to the man who--who took his brother in?"

There it was--a flicker of suspicion in Hikusaak's expression. However, he nodded slowly. "And I assume that message has to do with whatever is in the box?"

"Yes, my Lord." Then, he opened the box, shouted, "CLONE THIS, MOTHERFUCKER!" and flung the ash and bits of bone that comprised Luc's earthly remains into Hikusaak's face.

As Hikusaak screamed in pain and shock, Sasarai picked up an expensive stone vase and shattered the bay window before diving from the 20-story temple onto Bright, Futch's get-away dragon.

Thus began what would eventually come to be known as "Mayday December."

***

Every time he came home from a military campaign, she looked more beautiful than the last time he had seen her.

Today was no different. As she turned to greet him, her green eyes lit up with joy, and her hair shone like gold in the sunlight. She laughed and dashed across the courtyard like a schoolgirl, shouting his name aloud enough for the entire household to hear.

"Dios! Why didn't you send word, you dolt? Nino, Daddy's home!" She laughed again as she ran into Dios' opened arms, and he hugged her hard, inhaling the scent of her hair as he rested his head on her shoulder.

"I've missed you," he said quietly. How good her body felt after all these weeks, warm and welcoming. Just the touch of her lips against his cheek was enough to chase away the exhaustion he'd felt all morning.

"Daddy!!"

Dios barely had time to steel himself before Nino leapt into his arms. Was it his imagination, or was Nino bigger already? "Hey, little guy!" he greeted him, enveloping him in a bear hug. "Are you being good? Eating all your vegetables?"

"Um..." Nino wriggled a bit, then admitted, "Not always."

Nina smiled sheepishly at Dios, who laughed before setting Nino back on the ground. "Well, it's more important to be honest. But you're going to need to eat everything on your plate if you're going to outgrow me someday." He tousled the boy's hair and looked back at Nina. "It's good to be home. When's supper?"

"As soon as I can make it." Nina winked at him. "I'll give Audria the night off. I can't resist the opportunity to cook you up a 'welcome home' meal. How's eggs sunny-side up sound?"

"Sounds good," Dios said, "especially if we want Nino to eat everything on his plate." He lifted Nino onto his shoulders. "Come on, let's go wash up. I've been traveling for two days, and--" He stopped as his ears picked up the sound of horses' hooves. It sounded like at least a dozen men on horseback.

"Did you bring company?" Nina asked, frowning.

"No...." An uneasy feeling crept over Dios as he heard the sounds growing louder. He put Nino back on the ground. "Nina, take Nino and get inside. I've got a bad feeling about this."

Nina nodded and took Nino's hand. "Come on, Nino. Daddy will join us in a little bit." She looked back at Dios. "Won't you?"

"Yes, of course." Dios gave her what he hoped was a convincing smile. "Now, go inside."

Nina and their son had just reached the front door when a man clad in a Harmonian military uniform--a general, by the look of it--kicked in the gates with his horse. Then, he threw something at one of the trees in the courtyard, which exploded.

"Sir Dios, former chief of staff of former Bishop of Harmonia, Sasarai!" the man shouted. He paused as several of his subordinate soldiers rode through the gates, surrounding him. "I am under the orders of His Holiness, High Priest Hikusaak of Holy Harmonia, to take you and your family into custody."

"What?" Dios shouted back, baffled. "But why? We have done nothing wrong!"

The general nodded at three of his men, who dismounted and ran toward Dios. 

"Wait!" cried Dios as two of them ran past him. "This is ridiculous! Please tell me why you need my wife and son!"

"If you resist us," the third soldier said, "we're going to have to place you under arrest."

"Nino, get behind me!" Nina picked up a large rock and rushed the two men, crying, "I fought in the Dunan war! Don't you dare underestimate me!"

"Nina!" Dios shouted, drawing his sword. But as soon as he turned his back on the man in general's robes, he felt a searing, exploding pain behind his knee. His ears rang with a noise like thunder as he collapsed to the ground. Tears filled his eyes--he'd never felt this sort of pain before.

"Now you've done it, bitch!" One of the soldiers who had headed for Nina was clutching his head.

"Don't touch me!" Nina screamed at the other man. "I'm a married woman!"

Dios tried to call out to Nina, but he was in too much pain to put any strength into his voice. Was he dying? No, it couldn't be--he hadn't been shot anywhere vital. But there was no way he could get up, let alone go to Nina's aid. Please, he thought, don't hurt them.

The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was his wife and child being apprehended by the three men.

***

It had been a long time since Sasarai had visited Brass Castle.

"I wouldn't stick around here too long if I were you," Futch shouted down from Bright's back. "A dragon isn't exactly inconspicuous."

"I...I won't," Sasarai managed to croak from the roadside, where he was trying not to vomit as he regained his momentum. It wasn't working too well. "Thanks, Futch."

He finally lost the battle with his gag reflex as he was hit by the winds created by Bright taking off again. He hadn't felt this nauseated since Luc told him the truth about the two of them. At least this time, he didn't have any emotional anguish to go along with it.

"Hey, dude, are you all right?"

Sasarai was about to reprimand the speaker for calling him "dude," before remembering that he was no longer a bishop and, therefore, no longer needed to keep up a pretense of formality. "Ah, thank you, my good man," he said as he straightened up. "I'm just recovering from a flight on a dragon."

"Yeah, man, I saw!" the other man continued, beaming. He was quite a burly fellow, with coarse brown hair, a thick nose, and even thicker eyebrows; however, his most distinguishing feature was a small bump in the middle of his forehead. "You know, I saw a dragon that looked a lot like that one about fifteen years ago. I can't remember his name. White? Light?"

"Bright?" Sasarai suggested.

He snapped his fingers. "Bright, that was it! He must have the same guy riding him, then, huh? Butch, I think his name was--"

"Futch." Sasarai had to smile at this man's way of speaking. "So you know Futch, huh? What's your name?"

"Hoi." The man grinned and held out his hand. "Yours?"

"Sasha." Sasarai returned the man's smile and shook his hand. "It's good to meet you, Hoi. The truth is, I'm here on business. I need to speak to the commander of the Zexen Knights. Do you know where I can find her?"

Hoi shrugged. "Beats me. I don't even know who she is. I'm not from around here."

"That's all right," Sasarai said. "She knows who I am. I'll find her myself." He nodded at Hoi as a parting greeting and headed for the castle. 

"Wait, bro!" Hoi ran up and began walking alongside him. "Let me come with you. I'm out of dough and I haven't had anything to eat in two days."

Sasarai slowed down a little and thought about the man's statement. He was probably lying; he shouldn't have enough energy to be moving around like this if he hadn't eaten for two days. Or should he? Sasarai couldn't be sure, as he had never gone more than eighteen hours without eating. He knew that the Le Buque Mantor trainers were often underfed, and they still managed to fight. On the other hand, he knew bishops who had fasted, and had been very weak after two days. Maybe it depended on how healthy an individual was in the first place, and if that were the case, it made sense that this man could still have the energy to keep up with him.

"Do you need some money?" he asked. "I can give you some for food, if you'd like. How much do you need?"

"I can get some mayo eggs for 190 potch," Hoi said. "That'll feed me for a day at least."

Sasarai gave him 1,000 potch. "It's all I can spare you, I'm afraid. I'm out of work myself."

Hoi's eyes filled with tears as he gripped Sasarai's shoulder with one of his rough, manly hands. "I'll never forget this, man. Hoi's got your back, okay? If you ever need something from me, and I happen to be around, I'll do whatever you need. I don't make promises like that lightly, because they usually end up backfiring on me." Then, he rubbed his nose with the back of his hand and ran off.

Sasarai watched him disappear into the crowd, then resumed walking. He doubted he would see Hoi again.

As soon as he passed the castle gates, he saw a familiar face. All right, he thought, it's showtime.

"Sir Salome!" he shouted gleefully as he ran over to the stern-faced knight. "My name is Sasha Woomer, and I'm a reporter for the Iksay Times. Oh, boy, it's a pleasure to meet you." Without asking, he grabbed Salome's right hand with both of his and shook it wildly, beaming up at him. "If you're willing to give me just ten minutes of your time, or even just five minutes--"

"Hey!" A pair of gauntlet-laden hands grabbed him by the collar. "Do you really expect us to believe that a pup like you would have the right to interview the great Lord Salome? Besides, I've never heard of the Iksay Times!"

"Yipe!" Sasarai squealed, striving to look as pathetic and wimpy as possible. "F-f-f-f-forgive me! I-I-I only wanted to sh-sh-shake hands with the great knight statician himself!" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Salome twitch slightly. 

The other knight lifted Sasarai into the air with ease. "You want me to throw out this whelp, Lord Salome?"

"Just take him outside," Salome said, and made eye contact with Sasarai before nodding almost imperceptibly. "Son, you're welcome to come here, but there are certain protocols that must be followed before asking a high-ranking member of the knighthood for his time. Why don't you take a walk around the outside of the castle? I'm sure you could find something far more interesting.

Sasarai looked meekly at the guard, as though silently asking permission. With a disgusted grunt, he set Sasarai down on the ground. "Don't let me see your face again."

Outside the castle. Good old Salome had known exactly how to read Sasarai's actions. It was a good thing he'd run into him instead of Leo or Borus.

Sasarai had remembered Nash saying something about a secret passageway inside the Brass Castle, and with Salome's hint, he realized it must be somewhere along the castle walls, probably near the back, where there wasn't as much traffic.

It only took a few minutes for Sasarai to find it: a barely-noticeable series of cracks in the wall in the shape of a small doorway. However, it didn't appear that one could open it from the outside. He could probably force it open with his True Rune, but that would arouse suspicion. He'd just have to be patient.

Just when Sasarai was wondering whether or not he should leave and try to find another way to sneak into the castle, the door was pushed just slightly open by someone on the other side. Sasarai pried open the door enough to squeeze past, then shut it again.

Amazingly, the tunnel inside was not completely dark. Narrow shafts of light illuminated the stone walls, which were covered with several years' worth of mold. Sasarai felt as though he could feel the spores enter his lungs.

"'Statician'?" Salome asked, a note of humor in his voice.

"Stupidity lowers the guard," Sasarai answered. "I couldn't have them thinking I was a threat."

Salome nodded and began to walk. "Come on. We shouldn't talk here."

They walked in silence through the tunnel before coming to a staircase that led to another door. Salome pushed it open, and the two men walked into a spacious, well-lit room. A table with two cups of tea, a plate of scones, and a crab rice bowl was waiting for them.

"I thought you might be hungry," Salome explained.

Sasarai sat down and immediately began to eat. "I'm so hungry that I'm almost crying right now," he said with his mouth full of crab meat and rice.

Salome sat and took a sip of his tea before saying, "So tell me why you're here."

"Well"--Sasarai took a big gulp of tea, which he regretted because it was still very hot--"ever since the war, I've begun to question my own role in making things difficult for the rest of the world. My eyes have been opened, and my worldview has expanded. I always knew that civilian deaths and suffering were always a part of war, but I believed that I was serving a greater good in enforcing Hikusaak's will. This time, however, several events called that belief into question. Losing my True Rune to Luc and being forced to ally myself with the Grasslanders and Zexens made me realize that there are things more precious than life, or at least more precious than the simple state of being alive."

"So you've left Hikusaak's service?" Salome asked.

"Now that I understand what I really am," Sasarai continued, "I can see everything so much more clearly than before. I knew that I had to find out whether or not Hikusaak would at least be willing to acknowledge that he was using me. I asked him about it, and I gave him the chance to be upfront with me. And when he denied it, I saw it in his eyes: I'd crossed a line. Now that I had truly begun to think for myself, I would be eliminated sooner or later, like any broken tool. So I left."

Salome set down his cup, frowning. "And you still have the True Earth Rune, I take it?"

"Yeah." Sasarai stared at the back of his hand. "I'll die without it. And I'm not ready to meet my maker just yet. I need to see the world and decide for myself what I'm going to do with this power. I still think there must be a reason it was given to me, although I don't know what. That's why I was hoping to talk to Chris. Her father, Wyatt, had the True Water Rune for a long time, but she told me that he died peacefully. He must have had something precious to hold on to. Other than Geddoe--whom I cannot contact without arousing suspicion--Chris may be better equipped than any of my other acquaintances to give me an idea of what I should do."

Salome shook his head. "Lady Chris is in Tinto at present. It would be impossible to speak to her today. Furthermore, before long, there will be people looking for you. You must know that any nation known to be housing the Bishop Sasarai will be in grave danger before long." 

"Of course," Sasarai agreed. "It's unfortunate, but..." He sighed. "And you? I don't suppose you know anything about Wyatt?"

"I do." Salome took another sip of his tea. "Sir Wyatt Lightfellow was a good man who deserved to live a normal life. However, that was not what fate had in store for him. For many years, he fought alongside Sir Geddoe and the Flame Champion against Harmonia, but in the end, he decided to seal away the True Water Rune and return to Vinay del Zexay."

"I know that much, more or less," Sasarai said. "What I want to know is how he ended up having faith that things would work out for the best--enough to marry and start a family."

Salome opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by footsteps coming from the passageway he and Sasarai had just emerged from. Alarm filled his expression and he stood up immediately. "Who's there?" he shouted.

"Santa Claus!" a muffled voice said on the other end.

"Don't say that, you idiot!" said another voice. 

Sasarai stared incredulously at the door. "Salome, it's all right. I know those voices more than anything. It's Nash and Clive. You remember Nash, of course."

"Yes," Salome said, frowning. "Come in," he added in a louder voice.

Nash pushed open the door and entered, followed closely by Clive, who was rolling his eyes. "I can't believe you said 'Santa Claus.'"

As soon as Sasarai was in Nash's sight, he threw his arms around the shocked ex-bishop. "It must hurt, having had to part ways with a man you thought you truly trusted. If you need to cry, go ahead. Don't let our culture's toxic masculinity prevent you from expressing your feelings." 

"Nash, that's not what we came here for," Clive said. He looked at Sasarai. "Lord Sasarai--"

"I'm just Sasarai," Sasarai interrupted. "You no longer have to address me so formally."

"--Hikusaak has taken Dios, his wife, and his child into custody."

Sasarai's face grew pale. "You mean arrested them? But why?" 

"Because he wants you to return to his service."

"Using Dios to get me to return to Harmonia?" Sasarai looked disgusted. "That's a low move. Especially to involve his family."

"It's brilliant," Nash said, "because you don't have a family of your own, Lord Sasarai. And using just Dios was too risky, since you know Dios would rather die than betray you to Hikusaak. You might let him die, and you might even let him and Nina die."

"I wouldn't," Sasarai insisted.

"...but you definitely won't let an innocent child die." Nash picked up a scone and stuffed it into his mouth.

"But you can't just return to Hikusaak's service, can you?" Salome leaned back in his chair and gazed intently at Sasarai. "You were just saying that Hikusaak would kill you sooner or later. I don't think he's going to change his mind if you come back, especially after you..." He paused, then asked, "What exactly did you do, Sasarai?"

"Oh..." Sasarai looked slightly embarrassed. "I just sort of..." He lowered his voice until it was barely above a whisper. "...threw some ashes in his face and called him a motherfucker."

Nash's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "You did? Oh my God, Sasarai, I'm so proud of you! Way to stick it to the man!"

Clive picked up three scones and put them in his pockets. "Except 'the man' is now furious with Sasarai and he wants the True Earth Rune back. With all due respect, sir, this may not have been the cleverest of ideas."

Sasarai sighed. "It seemed like such a badass idea at the time."

"It was badass," Clive assured him, patting his shoulder. "But badass things tend to be poorly thought out. That's why we gunners do everything behind the scenes. It may not be the most badass way to go about things, but we get more results that way."

"Well, what's done is done." Sasarai slapped the table to emphasize his next statement. "So we have three options here: do nothing and let Dios and his family die, return to Harmonia and let Hikusaak kill me--and possibly Dios and his family, since that's the best way to guarantee that they stay quiet about Hikusaak's less-than-noble behavior--or rescue Dios and his family without getting myself killed. Naturally, the last choice is what I'm going with." He looked around the room. "Who's with me?"

"Well, I'm not in any position to help you," Salome began, "but if you want me to offer some suggestions--"

"To be honest," Sasarai said, "I forgot you were here. You don't need to be part of this, Salome. To be honest, I'm not even sure if you can help. I mean, you don't know anything about the layout of the temple, and your one-on-one combat skills leave a lot to be desired, and you're not terribly efficient at casting offensive magic, and--"

"That's enough, thank you," Salome said, the coldness of his voice rivaling the temperatures of the Ashtwal Mountains. "I get the point." He then cleared his throat and added, "I can offer you one piece of advice, however. When you rescue Dios, use it as an opportunity to examine your principles. Are you going to go in and kill everyone who resists you? Are you going to mow down the innocent along with the murderous? How much are you willing to risk to rescue three people? What if more innocent lives will be lost if you go ahead with the rescue than if you allow Dios and his family to die?

"Sir Wyatt had strong ideals. He was able to work and fight for the sake of building a better world. And because he believed that that better world was in the making, he felt he could settle down and start a family. Even if he eventually had to leave the people he loved behind, I do not think he had any regrets when he left this world."

A hush fell over the room as Sasarai, Nash, and Clive took in Salome's words. Then, Sasarai nodded and said, "Thank you, Salome. Your input may be just as helpful as Chris' would have been. I'll be sure to take your advice, and think over your questions as I carry out the rescue." He turned to Nash. "I know you've done more than enough, and I really shouldn't ask you for any more favors, but--"

"Oh, Sasarai, stop." Nash slapped Sasarai on the back, making him wince. "Dios is my friend, too. Even if you hadn't asked me, I would have offered to help him. And I know the layout of the temple almost as well as you do. I managed to survive the Dunan Unification War, the Higheast Rebellion, and the latest war, as well. I've been in all kinds of tight spots, several of which should have ended with my death. Of course I'm with you." 

"I'll help, too," Clive said. "Dios is a good man. He--not to mention his wife and child--doesn't deserve to be used like this. And Sasarai, you're the closest thing I have to a friend. No offense, Nash," he added, seeing Nash's dejected expression. "You're the second-closest thing."

Salome stood up. "Geddoe and I are still in contact. I think he would take a personal interest in this mission as well--especially since you've chosen to step down, Sasarai." 

Sasarai looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?" 

Salome smiled. "Geddoe joined the Southern Frontier Defense Force precisely so he could keep an eye on Harmonia and Hikusaak. In more recent years, he's been watching you, too, Sasarai. You do know he was originally a Grasslander, right?"

"I had my suspicions, but I didn't know for sure."

"Before the war," Salome continued, "he assumed that you would always remain loyal to Hikusaak, even if you had to do things you didn't like sometimes. But as he got to know you as a person, he realized that you weren't just a mindless drone; you had a sense of justice and a kind heart. He told me that he was hoping you would eventually break away from Hikusaak's influence and become your own person."

"He told you that?" Sasarai asked, deeply moved by Salome's story. 

"He did. And this may surprise you, but Geddoe is an idealist. He would never agree with the method Hikusaak is using to get you to return to his service."

Sasarai laughed shortly. "Not agreeing with such a sickening scheme is hardly idealistic. Just the thing any decent human being would think, surely."

"You'd be surprised," Salome said with a grim look in his eyes. "More importantly, I happen to know where Geddoe is staying. If you're willing to wait, I can have an answer as to whether or not he'll commit to rescuing Dios within the hour."

Sasarai's face broke into a grin. "Ah, so he's here in Brass Castle, is he? What a coincidence."

"I can neither confirm nor deny that statement." Salome winked at him, turned on his heel, and left the room.

A few moments passed, then Nash spoke up. "Did you guys know this is Chris Lightfellow's bedroom?"

***

The first sight to greet Dios when he opened his eyes was his wife's face.

"So beautiful," he murmured as he reached up to touch her face. "But why do you look so worried?"

"Dios..." Tears filled Nina's eyes as she held his hand to her cheek. "I'm sorry. I couldn't protect our son."

"Nino?" Dios tried to sit up, but his entire body was in pain, and wouldn't obey him. "Damn it! What happened to Nino?"

Nina shushed him, shaking her head. "He's asleep on the cot. They didn't hurt him. I just meant that I couldn't keep them from taking him with us." She sniffed. "I knew your government could be a little tyrannical at times, but I never thought they'd do this to us."

"Neither did I." Dios groaned. "What happened while I was out?"

Nina rolled her eyes and sighed. "Well, they didn't tell me much. Just that it was 'nothing personal,' that they 'had to do this,' and they'd make sure we were 'comfortable.' I would have fought them more, Dios, but they knew my weakness. They got Nino first, and told me it was in his best interests if I came quietly. I tried to tell myself that they were full of it, that there was no way they would hurt him, but..." She shuddered and wiped a tear from her eye. 

"You did the right thing," Dios said, running his thumb over the back of her hand. "At least we're all together. Where are we?" 

It was a dimly lit room, with no doors or windows that Dios could see. The only light source was a lone candle on the bedside table, and when he turned his head, he could make out Nino's sleeping form on a fold-away cot against the opposite wall. Something seemed strange about the wall, but Dios was unsure what.

"We're in a jail cell," Nina said with more than a hint of bitterness to her voice. "They called it our 'accommodations,' but that's what it is. It's a little fancier than your run-of-the-mill cell, though. That wall next to Nino's cot is an illusion; it's actually an invisible, one-way barrier. Something like that, anyway. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but basically, anything--and anyone--can come in here, and some can go out--for example, someone came and took our dishes away when we were finished eating--but we can't get out, of course. I know of magical barriers, of course, but I don't know anything about them." She took a deep breath, let it out, and then lay next to Dios. "At least we have a double bed."

Dios gave her a weak grin. "Prisoners or not, it's been almost two months since we've been together like this. I wish I could hold you, but I don't think my body is up to it." 

She leaned over and kissed his forehead. "I know. Even if it was, this isn't exactly the most romantic place. I'm not sure I could even get in the mood for you." She placed her arm across his chest and added, "Go back to sleep. The doctor said you need to get a lot of rest."

He swallowed nervously. "Did...Did the doctor say that I'll be able to walk again?" It sure as hell didn't feel like it.

"Of course," she said. "You won't get out of yardwork that easily. Now, sleep."

With Nina's body so close to his own, he fell asleep quickly.

***

"Thanks, Louis," Sasarai said as he stepped out of the dressing room. "These are a perfect fit. I admit I was a little worried they wouldn't be, since you're still shorter than me."

Louis shrugged. "My father had some bigger clothes prepared for me, since I'd be doing a lot of growing during my training."

"Well, hopefully the money I gave you will pay for another set of clothes, then." 

"It'll pay for another three," Louis assured him. "Really, you didn't have to give me this much."

"Bishops are paid ludicrous sums of money," Sasarai said as he checked himself out in the mirror. "Or the temple is, rather. As bishops, we were supposed to take what we needed, but most of us occasionally took what we wanted instead. I just helped myself to a little more than usual before leaving." He liked what he saw--a young, unassuming man of indeterminable profession--and, more importantly, the clothes were far more comfortable than his heavy, staticky robes or his stiff, tight military uniform. "Man, those bishops don't know what they're missing. I could fall asleep in these clothes."

"Here." Clive handed Sasarai a scone. "You'll need your strength for the journey home. If we stop at the Karaya Village, we can probably get some nukazuke or something."

"I don't like nukazuke," Sasarai informed him, and ate the scone in about thirty seconds.

The door opened, and a voice said, "As usual, you can only fill your stomach with sweets, Sasarai? That won't even hold you until halfway to Karaya." 

"Nice to see you, too, Geddoe." Sasarai wiped the crumbs from his new outfit and grinned. "I know I piss you off half the time, but--"

"Not quite half," Geddoe corrected him, offering a rare smile. 

"--I nonetheless appreciate your concern for Dios. How is the rest of your unit doing? Is Aila still with you?"

Geddoe nodded. "She may be young, but she's a good fighter, and she keeps the unit's morale high. Everyone enjoys looking after her." He cleared his throat. "But enough about that. What's important is that we rescue Dios and his family without risking your life in the process. Is that right?"

"Not necessarily," Sasarai answered. "Of course this will put my life at risk. But that doesn't mean I want to deliver my life to Hikusaak on a platter, especially since that would put the True Earth Rune back in his possession."

"That makes sense. This is very similar to when the people of Le Buque were held hostage."

Nash, who had been snoozing on one of the chaise lounges, sat up. "Le Buque held hostage? Didn't you end up losing your True Lightning Rune?"

Geddoe's lips formed a thin line of irritation; then, he nodded. "I'm not denying that this will prove to be a great risk to myself as well. Maybe I'm a fool for agreeing to help you, but Hikusaak has crossed yet another line by doing this.

"Sasarai, we're going to need your help in describing the layout of the temple. You will know better than anyone how many guards are stationed in which locations, as well as where Dios and his family might be kept. Although..." He frowned suddenly. "Do you know for certain that they're being kept in the temple?"

Sasarai opened his mouth to say, "Of course they're being kept in the temple!" then shut it again. "That's...a very good point, actually. Clive, Nash, what exactly did Hikusaak say?"

"We don't know," Clive admitted. "We got a letter from one of the elder bishops. It said that if Sasarai didn't return to Hikusaak's service within one week, Dios would be killed. After another week, Nina would die. After the third week, their son, Nino, would be killed."

Everyone in the room looked disgusted, but it was Louis who blurted out, "That's horrible! Even the Zexen Council wouldn't kill a child of one of our citizens!" Then, he seemed to change his mind, and he shrunk back with embarrassment. "Okay, they probably would. Most governments probably would. But it's not right."

"We don't even know if the letter is true," Nash said. "The bishop signed his name and everything. More than likely, it's a trap. Hikusaak probably ordered him to write the letter."

"Which bishop was it?" Sasarai asked. 

Nash looked at Clive, who shook his head. "We don't know how to pronounce his name," Clive said. "Maybe you know who he is." He nodded to Nash, who produced the letter from his pocket.

Sasarai took a look, then smiled sadly. "It's Bishop Eusebio," he said. "I can only imagine he's finding himself in a very difficult situation, if he had to write this. If he did send this letter without Hikusaak's approval, he's taking a huge risk in doing so. If the Holy Father finds out..."

Nash cringed. "Things could get nasty, huh?"

"High treason is punishable by death," Sasarai said. "But like you said, it's very possible that Hikusaak ordered him to write the letter. I'm surprised it only took a day for him to get the word out that he was looking for me." He frowned as he studied the letter. "Eusebio's pretty sharp, though. I wouldn't be surprised if he's slipped Dios' location into the words he's written." He tapped one of the words. "It's this one. 'Washbowl.' All his other words have a slight tilt to the right, but this one is straight up."

"'Washbowl'?" Clive repeated. 

"What does that mean?" Louis asked. "Are they being kept in a bathroom?"

"Something like that," Sasarai said. "Or in a place that sounds like 'washbowl,' or a synonym of 'washbowl.'"

Geddoe stepped forward. "Basin. And you know what place that must be, right, Sasarai?"

Sasarai groaned and collapsed onto one of the chairs. "The Base Inn. It has to be the Base Inn."

"What's the Base Inn?" Louis asked. "Some kind of hostel?"

"Nah, it's a prison," Nash said. "Pretty high-security, too. Instead of iron bars, they have barriers made of magic. It's even tougher to escape from than an ordinary prison."

Clive handed Sasarai another scone. "I hear the Agate Prison was broken into by cave dwarves. Too bad we don't have any of those around here."

"No, but..." Sasarai's eyes widened. "But we do have Twaikin. Is he still expanding the Great Hollow?"

***

"...True Earth Rune--" The man's voice faltered as he invoked the 25th True Rune's blessing. His lips trembled as he resumed his prayer.

"True Earth Rune, protect and nourish the weak, and humble and frighten the powerful, for all will return to your arms upon death.

"Rune of the Beginning, keep the Sword and the Shield in balance so that our world may not come to an end.

"Rune of Life and Death--" A bead of sweat ran down his cheek. "Watch over the souls of both the living and the dead, and grant them peace."

Bishop Eusebio bowed, genuflected, and extinguished the candle. Everything was out of his hands now; he could only hope that Sasarai would figure things out.

A voice in the doorway interrupted his thoughts. "You were reciting the prayer of St. Johnathan? I always did like that one. It's very sweet and precious, fitting of a saint who was martyred at age 20."

"Lord Hikusaak." Eusebio bowed low in greeting. "To what does Your servant owe this most undeserved honor?"

Hikusaak flicked his hand impatiently. "You needn't bother with the formalities, Eusebio. Consider this meeting off the record. You may relax."

"Thank you, sir." Eusebio bowed again, though not quite so low as before.

"Let's have a seat." Hikusaak gestured to one of the pews and waited for Eusebio to sit before seating himself. "Tell me, Eusebio...Why do you think Sasarai has betrayed me?"

Why was Hikusaak asking him this? "I don't know, sir. Who knows why men do such things?" Keep calm, he told himself. Don't give anything away. 

"I knew from the beginning that he was destined for great things," Hikusaak continued. "He had been chosen by the True Earth Rune, after all."

"Lord Hikusaak..." 

"Hm?"

"What causes a True Rune to choose a newborn for its host?"

"What indeed?" Hikusaak murmured, as if to himself. "The True Runes have the power to change the world's fate. Ensuring the birth of a suitable host would be easy."

Something about the way Hikusaak spoke chilled Eusebio's heart. "If the Runes can change the fate of this world, can they move human hearts as well?"

"I believe so," Hikusaak answered, and the light seemed to leave his eyes. "And once We have gathered all 27 True Runes together, there will be no heart We cannot move."

An odd sense of peace settled over Eusebio's mind, and he realized that there was nothing he could ask Hikusaak that would not be answered. "The enemies of Harmonia say that, should my lord indeed accomplish his goal of obtaining all 27 True Runes, everything will die. Is this true?"

Hikusaak closed his eyes. "I do not know. All I know is that all will become one, which is as it should be. Surely even the end of all life as we know it is preferable to this world as it is now." He opened his eyes again, and when he looked at Eusebio, there was a clarity in them that he had never seen before. "Eusebio, is there anything else you wish to ask me?"

Tears filled the elderly priest's eyes. "No," he whispered.

"Then, my friend, let me ask you something." Hikusaak placed his hand on Eusebio's back. "Did you think I wouldn't notice what you did to that letter?"

"No," Eusebio said again.

Hikusaak smiled as he gently stroked the back of Eusebio's neck. "Relax. I'm not going to break anything. I would never end your life in such a barbaric manner."

Trembling, Eusebio nodded.

"I don't really care if Sasarai figures out where his loved ones are being kept. He's a bright young man, and would have figured it out sooner or later. Nor do I mind that you got outsiders involved. Someone, after all, had to inform him. 

"However, I cannot forgive your deliberate disobedience of my orders. You understand, don't you?"

A tear finally escaped Eusebio's eye and ran down his cheek as he nodded. Forty-four years of serving Hikusaak, and this was how it would end.

He had loved Hikusaak, and believed in his mission. Even now, he could not bring himself to bear any ill will toward the High Priest; surely Hikusaak meant well. Indeed, he must mean well, even now. Surely the Circle Rune wouldn't have chosen him otherwise.

"I do have a question," Eusebio said, and his voice sounded so clear. It startled even himself. "Will it hurt?"

Hikusaak's expression was full of kindness as he answered. "No."

It was the last word Eusebio would ever hear.

***

"Yes, the dwarf is still here," Bazba grumbled when Geddoe asked about Twaikin. "You've got a new assignment for him? Good. He's not authorized to dig holes here, but Chief Dupa has more pressing concerns at the moment.

"What's this I hear about Master Sasarai disappearing from Harmonia?" he asked as the two of them headed down one of the Great Hollow's tunnels.

"Has that information reached the Lizard Clan?" Geddoe asked in his usual unaffected manner.

"Indeed. Chief Lucia and Master Thomas have both heard about it, too. I wouldn't be surprised if the information has reached Falena by now. Twaikin!" he called out when he saw the dwarf digging away at one of the walls. 

Twaikin set down his shovel and turned around. "Ah, hey, Geddoe," he greeted with a wave of his hand. "How are ya?"

"I'm doing well," said Geddoe. He looked around--Twaikin had certainly expanded the Great Hollow. It amused him to think about how the Lizards were dealing with all this extra space. "Listen, how would you like a job? It's dangerous, but I can pay you well."

"Hmmm..." Twaikin leaned foward on his shovel. "It's not a combat job, is it?"

Geddoe shrugged. "Might be. We need you to dig your way into a prison so we can rescue someone. Hopefully, we won't run into any trouble, but it's probably heavily guarded. Is that something you could do?"

"Where is this prison?"

"It's in Harmonia. It's about five days' worth of traveling from here, if we use horses. Don't worry about riding a horse; I can, and so can Sasarai."

Bazba looked incredulous. "Sasarai? He's here?"

"No, he's at Brass Castle," Geddoe said. "I didn't think it would be a good idea to bring him to the Great Hollow."

"A wise choice," Bazba agreed. "Not all of us have had the privilege of fighting with Master Sasarai."

"So Sasarai's in on this, too?" Twaikin asked.

Geddoe nodded. "It's him we're trying to help."

"Have you really been so involved in your digging that you don't know that Master Sasarai has disappeared from Harmonia?" demanded Bazba. 

"That stuff doesn't matter to me," Twaikin said, shrugging. "I only care about digging holes. Do you think it'll be a challenge, digging to this prison?"

"Definitely," Geddoe said. "What's more, it has to be done in a week, or one of the prisoners will die."

"That is a challenge," Twaikin said. "But I think I can do it. Do we need to leave right away?" 

Geddoe nodded again. "We can borrow some horses at the Brass Castle. Have you decided to come with us?"

"Yeah, why not? Might as well dig for someone who appreciates my special skills."

***

Dios turned his head to look at his wife. "Nina, I should apologize."

"Why?" Nina asked. "Have you been cheating on me?"

"What?" Dios propped himself up on his elbow, ignoring the new shot of pain in his knee. "No, of course not! I would never--" His face grew hot as he remembered Yumi. "I mean, I did find the women from Alma Kinan incredibly attractive, but..."

Nina looked at him with the wry smile Dios had grown to love over the seven years they'd been together. "You never did know when to shut up. But that's how I know you're trustworthy. So what did you want to apologize for?"

Dios didn't speak for a few moments. He turned his eyes away from Nina. "You know, three years ago, I was part of the branch of the military sent to quell the Higheast Rebellion. I knew you were from that part of the continent. Our army might have even cut down some of your old friends and fighting allies. But I never gave it a second thought. I'm sorry, Nina. Forgive me."

Nina laughed, but her voice shook as she spoke. "You big dummy. I never expected you to give up your love for Harmonia when you asked me to marry you. And I never felt like I had to choose between you and my home country. I know that you're a good person, Dios. That's all that matters to me." She scooted closer and kissed him on the mouth, before burrowing herself against his chest. "But thank you. Your consideration really means a lot to me."

He stroked her soft, slightly tousled hair, wishing he could look at her forever. "I just wish it weren't three years late. Actually, almost four. Time goes by so fast." He thought of Nino asleep on that cot. "Do you think our son is comfortable?"

"I'm afraid to check," she admitted. "You know he doesn't like to sit still for very long. This cell isn't big enough for a boy who likes to run around and play outside. We should let him sleep as long as possible. It will be difficult for all three of us when he wakes up."

"You're right," he said, trying to ignore the feeling of dread lurking in the back of his mind. 

"Dios, why do you think we're being held here?" Nina asked. "I can't imagine you'd do anything to break the law."

Dios shook his head. "I don't know, only..."

"Only what?"

"Only the man who placed us under arrest referred to Lord Sasarai as the 'former' Bishop of Harmonia. Lord Sasarai must have left Lord Hikusaak's service." He shook his head again, this time in disbelief. "Ever since the war, he's been different somehow, but I was afraid to ask what was wrong. Maybe fighting alongside the Grasslanders and Zexens changed him."

"It's changed you." Nina smiled up at him as she stroked one of his sideburns. 

He smiled back. "Oh, really? How can you tell?"

"Probably the same way you could tell there was something different about Lord Sasarai." She kissed the tip of his nose and added, "I like it. You've always been a good man, Dios, but you're..." Her voice trailed off as she tried to think of the right words to use. "You're more _you_ than ever now. I don't know, that sounds silly, but...I don't know, maybe I'm just so happy to see you again, but I feel like..." Her cheeks turned bright red, and she turned to avoid his gaze. "I feel like I'm falling even deeper in love with you," she said quietly.

"Oh, Nina..." Dios felt strangely moved by her confession. "Thank you. You're far more special than a man like me deserves."

Nina opened her mouth to reply, but whatever she was going to say was interrupted by a voice crying, "Mommy?" 

Dios squeezed her hand. "Go ahead and tend to our son. We can talk more later."

At least, he hoped they could.

***

Twaikin turned out to be a good traveler; he neither complained about the hardships of sleeping outside nor cared about sightseeing. Of course, Sasarai had expected nothing less from a dwarf, but it surprised him that being in the mountains didn't seem to bother him.

"You're hardier than I'd expected," Sasarai said to him. "I've traversed these mountains many times, but I never get used to being up this high."

"I hate flying," Twaikin said, "but earth is earth, no matter how high up it is. Although riding on horseback is sort of a new experience for me. I prefer walking."

"I never liked horses myself," Geddoe agreed. "They're too unpredictable. Give me the ground beneath my feet any day."

Salome had stayed in Zexen (much to Sasarai's disappointment), but Nash and Clive--neither of whom handled horses very well--had insisted on going back to Harmonia with Sasarai. They lagged about 200 feet behind the others.

"So what do you intend to do, Sasarai?" Geddoe asked. "You'll need to disguise yourself. A lot of Harmonians know what you look like." 

"I know some basic illusionary spells," Sasarai said. "They won't fool anyone highly skilled in magic, let alone Hikusaak, but most people won't be able to recognize me."

"We're close to Caleria," said Geddoe. "You'd better cast one of those spells soon."

Sasarai shook his head. "Unfortunately, I can only keep it going for a short time. My record was one hour and forty-two minutes, but that was when I was full and well-rested. In my present state, I probably won't be able to hold out as long."

"Can you only disguise yourself, or can you expand the spell to other people?"

"I can try and expand it, although it might take away from the amount of time I can hold it. You're right that too many people know what you look like, too, and we can't take any chances, since you've got the True Lightning Rune with you." He patted Geddoe good-naturedly on the arm. "Too bad you don't know any disguise spells, eh?"

Geddoe shrugged. "I can take care of myself. What about Nash and the other guy?"

"Clive." Sasarai laughed. "He'll probably say the same thing. He's more of a behind-the-scenes kind of guy, so I doubt there will be any trouble with him." He frowned, then added, "But Nash is another story. He used to be part of a noble family, and many people in Harmonia would know him if they saw him. What's more, a few bishops may have figured out that he was working for me until recently. It's not like I've advertised the fact, but they must have seen him entering and exiting the temple from time to time." He looked over his shoulder to see Nash and Clive arguing about something. "Well, I'll worry about it when he makes it through these mountains alive. I figured he, at least, would know how to ride a horse."

Twaikin, who had been listening without comment, raised his hand, as if to cut Sasarai off. "Shh. Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Sasarai asked.

"That. That...clicking sound."

Geddoe's eyes narrowed. "Damn. I'd know that sound anywhere. It's Mantors in flight."

"You're right." Sasarai's expression grew serious. "Geddoe. You don't think they're after me, do you?"

"They could be. Cast your spell."

"Right." Sasarai stretched out his right arm and chanted, quickly, under his breath. 

"Nothing's happening," Geddoe said. "You look the same to me."

"That's because I cast the spell around all of you as well. We'll look the same to each other. Technically, the spell doesn't disguise us; it confounds other people's powers of recognition, so that we look like strangers to them."

Sasarai and Geddoe halted so that Clive and Nash could catch up.

"What's going on?" Clive asked, but Sasarai raised a finger to his lips.

"Le Buque soldiers," he whispered.

As if on cue, three Mantors and their trainers appeared in the sky and began heading toward the group.  
Nash's hands tightened on the reins. "Damn!"

Sasarai made eye contact with Nash and shook his head. "Don't," he mouthed.

The eyes of the leader of the group narrowed as he approached the group. He looked familiar--slim, with dark hair, brown eyes, and a hotheaded look to him--but Sasarai couldn't quite place him. "Please state your names and business here."

Sasarai spoke first. "My name is Sasha, and I'm bringing some goods from Vinay del Zexay. These men have volunteered to be my bodyguards." Fuck, why did I say that?

A second soldier, a well-built man with reddish-brown hair and freckles, covered his mouth but failed to keep himself from laughing. "'Volunteered'? Since when do bodyguards volunteer their services?"

Nash spat. "We don't. This asshole thinks he can shortchange us. It ain't happenin'."

The third soldier, a short, older man who didn't seem to have any hair, looked Clive up and down and said, "You don't look like a bodyguard to me. Bodyguards your age should have more muscle on them."

"And what about that guy?" the leader asked, pointing to Twaikin. "That's a dwarf, isn't it?"

Sasarai shrugged. "Who says dwarves can't guard bodies?"

The leader's Mantor began to buzz excitely, and Sasarai realized who the leader was. He met Geddoe's eyes, and Geddoe gave him a very slight nod.

"What's wrong with you, Ruby?" Franz demanded. He turned to the redheaded soldier. "Ruby seems really happy to see these guys. I don't get it."

The redhead shrugged and turned to the older soldier. "What about you, Reyes? Have you seen any of these men before?"

Reyes shook his head. "Nah, man. But something's off about them. The one-eyed guy and that blond don't look Zexen to me." 

"I'm the one from Zexen," Sasarai said. "I don't know where these guys are from."

"I'm from the Toran Republic," Twaikin said. "My name is Faustino."

"And I'm Harmonian," Nash added. "So's Terrell here. My name's Kieth."

Geddoe waved his hand. "Jim. I'm a member of the Safir clan."

"Safir clan?" Franz frowned. "They were wiped out."

"I'm one of the survivors. I was visiting friends in Chisha when the Harmonian army attacked."

"'Jim'?" Reyes repeated. "That doesn't sound like a Grassland name."

"Neither does 'Hugo' or 'Lucia,'" Franz said, "but those are the names of two Karayan individuals I happen to know."

"So what's next, Franz?" the redhead asked. "Should we take them in for questioning?"

Franz shook his head. "I think these men are fine. I know what Bishop Sasarai looks like, and none of these men are him." He frowned at the five men and added, "But I do agree that they're suspicious." His gaze stayed on Sasarai for several moments. Then, he shook his head and turned back to the other riders. "Let's go. We don't have the necessary proof to keep them from traveling."

Sasarai watched the Mantors and their trainers fly in the direction of Caleria. "They're probably going to notify the soldiers stationed in Caleria to keep an eye on us. Fortunately, they'll have some difficulties describing us, but the fact that there are five of us will narrow things down a bit. It would be best if we split up."

"Do you think Franz recognized you?" Nash asked. 

"He shouldn't, since Franz doesn't know much in the ways of magic." Sasarai shook his head in amusement. "But I guess that spell doesn't work on Mantors."

"It's probably a good idea for all of us to use our fake names from now on," Geddoe said. "Even when we don't think anyone's listening."

Clive nodded in agreement. "I'm used to using false names. Terrell, was it?"

"Yeah." Nash slapped him on the back. "And just remember, Kieth's got your back."

***

"Please, Nino, eat your cake," Nina begged. "The guards made it just for you."

"I don't like cake," Nino said, pouting a little. "Especially cake with vegetables in it."

Nino had eagerly licked the frosting off his, Nina's, and Dios' slices of cake, but was uninterested in eating the rest. Dios knew he must be starving, but apparently hunger was still not enough to make him eat.

"Just try it," Dios said. "You can't even taste the carrots, and it's not too sweet."

The guard shook his head. "I've never met a kid who didn't like sweet stuff. What kind of kid is this?"

Nina glared at him. "You're not helping. Anyway, what kind of sustenance is this? How about some meat, or at least some bread?"

He shrugged. "We don't want the three of you to think of yourselves as prisoners. You're our guests, and we heard that Lord Dios liked carrot cake."

Dios snorted. "Call it what you like, but you're still keeping us here against our will. Besides, Nina is right. Giving sugar to an already hyperactive child is a bad idea. He's been having enough trouble as it is."

Nina stood up and marched over to the guard, causing him to move back a few steps. "I want to speak to your captain. Dios and I may have unintentionally transgressed against one of your stupid, arbitrary laws in some minor way. Maybe because we've been using birth control."

"Nina!" Dios cried, his face reddening.

The guard, also blushing, quickly shook his head. "Th-there's no law against contraception that I'm aware of, ma'am."

"Or maybe it's because I'm a strong, educated woman, instead of some simpering, unpaid servant-wife who wears ugly, shapeless dresses and does everything her husband commands." 

Dios groaned. "Nina, that's not--"

"And yet!" Nina continued, ignoring Dios. "My child has absolutely, positively done nothing wrong. I'd stake my life on it. How dare you Harmonians put him in prison! Who the hell do you think you are?" She looked over her shoulder at Dios. "Honey, back me up on this!" 

Dios wasn't entirely sure if Nina's method of doing things was the best one, but he had to admit that she was right. He wished he could at least sit up, but he couldn't even roll onto his side, let alone get up. He looked at the guard. "How old are you?"

"Me?" the guard repeated. "Nineteen. Why?"

"And what's your name?"

The guard frowned. "Dexter," he said cautiously.

"Dexter. Tell me, Dexter, do you think this is right?"

Dexter looked around the cell neverously. "I can teleport myself to the other side of this barrier, and if you hurt me--"

"Relax," Dios said. "Even if I could move, I wouldn't hurt you. You're not my enemy. The one who put us here is. I merely asked you a question: Do you think it's right to put an innocent child in prison? I don't mean a 15- or 16-year-old who could, arguably, commit a heinous crime of his own. I mean a boy of five years old, who likes to play outside and who hates vegetables. A boy who wants to grow up to be as tall as his weak father and as strong as his short uncle. A boy who loves cream cheese frosting and nursery rhymes about animals. Do you think it's right to confine him a 12-by-12 prison cell that he has to share with two other people?"

Dexter shifted guiltily from one foot to the next, avoiding Dios' eyes. "Lord Hikusaak has his reasons. Anyway, would you rather he be separated from his mother and father? Isn't it for the best that the three of you are together?"

"We have family who could look after him," Nina said. "Isn't that what's usually done when a child's guardian is incarcerated?"

"Usually, yes," the guard admitted. "But these circumstances are...special."

"Because of Lord Sasarai?" Dios asked. "What happened? The man who shot me in the knee referred to him as a former bishop of Harmonia. If he has betrayed Lord Hikusaak, I can understand why I might be taken in for questioning. And if Lord Hikusaak finds me guilty of aiding Lord Sasarai in whatever act of betrayal he has committed, then I will accept my sentence without a complaint." He saw Nina stiffen and quickly added, "But it is impossible that Nina or Nino could have been involved. Neither of them even met Lord Sasarai, let alone worked for him. If you absolutely must keep me here, then let them go."

Dexter sighed. "I can't do that. Surely you know that I'm not the one who's in charge here. I'm not one of the soldiers who arrested you, and all I know about Lord Sasarai is that he's disappeared. It's possible that the general you say referred to Lord Sasarai as a 'former' bishop knows more, but I don't even know who that was. I'm at least twenty years younger than you are, Lord Dios, and--"

"No, you're not," Dios said testily. "I'm only thirty."

"Oh!" Dexter's face turned bright red. "Please forgive me, sir. I meant no offense."

Nina laughed. "Don't worry. Dios has always looked older than he really is. If someone who looks really young can be said to have a baby face, I guess Dios has got an old man face."

"Hey!" Dios protested. "This isn't something we need to discuss right now!"

"So what am I supposed to do?" Dexter asked. 

"Talk to someone," Nina urged. "Ask them if they can't at least send Nino home. This is no place for--"

"Mommy!" Nino was at Nina's side in an instant. "Mommy, I don't want to go home! I want to stay with you and Daddy!"

"Nino, you can't," Dios said. "Think about it. This is a prison. You can't go outside and play. You can't even leave this room. Won't you be a lot happier staying with Grandma or Uncle Julian?"

Nino was quiet for a few moments before shaking his head. "I want to stay with you and Mommy."

Nina shook her head as well and put on her no-nonsense face. "That's too bad. We're your parents, and you don't get a say in this. You're leaving this place as soon as possible. Now go finish your carrot cake."

"But, Mom--"

"Listen to your mother," Dios said in a no-nonsense voice of his own. "We need to talk to the guard some more, and just because I'm bed-bound doesn't mean I can't think of some way to punish you."

Dexter sighed and said, "I'll talk to my supervisor, but I doubt he's going to bend on this. If nothing else, I'll see if there's anything we can do to make the three of you more comfortable. All I know is that you need to stay here indefinitely. As far as I know, Lord Hikusaak hasn't given any orders on whether the kid can have a toy or two to play with."

"He likes lifting weights," Nina said. "Better yet, if you have any chores he can do, he likes helping out with things like that."

Dios looked at her, surprised. "He does?"

"I'll see what I can do," Dexter said. He bowed and left the cell, easily passing through the magical barrier.

Nina frowned. "I wish I could figure out how that barrier works. Maybe we could force it open somehow."

"I doubt it," Dios said. "Lord Sasarai told me about magic barriers. I don't really understand how it works, but there's some sort of...immunity spell that can be cast on other people so that they can pass through the barrier. It taps into their genetic code, or something."

The two of them looked at Nino, who was eating his cake with a sullen expression.

"Even if we did get out of this cell," Dios added, "there's no way we'd get past all the guards. Trust me, if I could think of some way to save you and Nino, I would." He took her hand and whispered, "I'd do anything, even let them kill me."

Nina hugged him, hard. "I know you would. But don't talk like that, okay? Even if Nino can't hear you, I don't like to think about it."

"All right," Dios said, and kissed her on the forehead. "No more talk about me dying. I promise."

But he couldn't help wondering whether or not it would come to that.

***

"Brrr." Sasarai wrapped his coat more tightly around his shoulders and turned to Twaikin with a smile. "Caleria is colder this time of year than I remember. Are you going to be all right, Faustino?"

He nodded. "Depending on where you are, it can get pretty cold underground. Although regardless of how the weather is above, you can find some relief below: it's cooler if the weather is hot, and warmer if the weather is cold."

"At least we can see the Christmas decorations," Sasarai said, looking around at the wreaths and trees on display. "I think it's nice that Harmonia's territories put up Christmas displays, too."

"I doubt they see it that way," Twaikin said. "Didn't Harmonia just force their belief system on everyone?"

"It's not really a Harmonian belief," Sasarai said. "The Christianos originally celebrated it as the birth of their christos, Iesous. And before that, the old ones celebrated it as some sort of solstice celebration. In Harmonia, it's considered a secular holiday about order and peace." He smiled and waved at an orphan ringing a bell in front of a pot intended to collect donations. "Hello, there. Here you go." He placed a 1,000 potch note in the pot. 

"Thank you very much!" the child exclaimed. "Merry Christmas, sir!"

"Same to you." He turned to Twaikin. "Let's go. I want to finish my shopping before it gets dark."

Per Geddoe's suggestion, after everyone had hitched their horses, Sasarai and Twaikin had split up from Nash, Clive, and Geddoe. It was decided that they should buy or trade a few things, since they would look suspicious if they rushed through town too quickly.

The air was thick with the smell of cinnamon, cloves, and roasted nuts, and everyone seemed in a better mood than usual. A few of the mules and donkeys wore sleigh bells, even though there was no snow yet.

"You should see this place at night," Sasarai said to Twaikin. "People put red and green and sometimes blue lights up. You have to buy a special mix to toss into the fire. It's truly beautiful."

"Yeah, I bet," Twaikin said. "Well, what are you looking for?" 

"Maybe some sweets. I haven't had anything sweet in three days."

Twaikin shook his head. "I've never seen a grown man who likes sweets so much."

Sasarai bought some sugared dates and a few candy canes. "This should hold me over until we get to Pearl Canyon. They have a good bakery there."

"Hey, those look pretty good. I think I'll take some, too."

The shopkeeper grinned. "Well, what do you know? It's rare to see dwarves up in these parts. You from Toran or Falena?"

"Oh!" Twaikin beamed back. "I'm from Toran. You seem to know a lot about dwarves. Most humans don't know where we're from, or that there's any difference between Toran dwarves and Falenan dwarves."

"I'm sort of a dwarf geek around here," the shopkeeper said. "I've always wanted to meet one, but you know, my friends all claim to me that a dwarf wouldn't dare leave his cave to come here. So, tell me, what's it like living in a cave? I mean, I've been down a few caves before, but living there? Aww, man, that would just be amazing. So cozy and warm in the winter, and cool in the summer, too! Wow, it's really a pleasure to meet a dwarf face-to-face. Are you staying here long?"

Sasarai and Twaikin exchanged baffled glances.

"Uh, no," Twaikin answered, "we're just passing through."

"Christmas shopping," Sasarai added. 

The shopkeeper nodded. "Sounds good. I've got a special on saltwater taffy right now. Peppermint, vanilla, and caramel are five for a potch. Can I interest you in any?"

"Oh, I love taffy!" Sasarai exclaimed, and promptly bought 30 pieces of each flavor.

"And if you'd like some gum drops..." 

Twenty minutes later, the two men left the story carrying several large bags of candy and baked goods.

"How can you possibly eat this much?" Twaikin asked, wide-eyed. "I've never seen anyone spend so much on sweets before. You're living the dream of thousands of six-year-olds."

Sasarai shrugged, trying not collapse under the weight of his bags. "What can I say? I have a sweet tooth. At my old job, I used to hide hard candy under my cap so I could snack on it when no one was looking. Dios doesn't understand it, either. In fact...Put one of those cherry tarts in my mouth." And he opened his mouth wide.

"Absolutely not," Twaikin said, then did it anyway. "But that's the only one."

Sasarai nodded, his mouth filled with the fruit pie.

***

"Look at this, Terrell." Nash held up a silk camisole with intricate sequin patterns sewn across the bust. "If I bought this for the missus, do you think she'd wear it for me?"

"How should I know?" Clive asked. He looked around restlessly, feeling vulnerable without his cloak; Nash and Geddoe had told him that it would make him stand out too much. This, of course, meant that Storm had been wrapped up and stuffed into the large pack Geddoe was carrying. It almost made him cry to think of it tucked away like a walking stick that was no longer needed.

Nash held the camisole against his chest. "What do you think, Jim?"

"Hmmm..." Geddoe stared at the item for a few moments, then shook his head. "I don't think so, Kieth. Pink really isn't your color."

"You're probably right," Nash said, sighing. He put the pink article back and picked up a dark blue one. "Better?"

Clive elbowed him in the ribs. "Stop goofing around. This is no time to let our guard down."

"Don't look so stiff, or you'll stand out like a sore thumb. Just try and relax, and maybe smile or something. You'll have a heart attack if you act so pissed off all the time." Nash picked up a pearl necklace and put it around Clive's neck. "I'll pay for it if you--"

"Oh, that stupid fucker!" Geddoe hissed.

Nash spun around quickly. "What did he do?"

Geddoe pointed to a parting in the crowd, where Sasarai and Twaikin were weighed down with bags of candy. "That idiot. Only he would buy that much sweet stuff. I thought he was smarter than that, but I guess getting out of this city alive is less important than satisfying his sweet tooth."

"Well, he's never had to go incognito before," Nash said. "He probably thinks that as long as he uses a fake name and disguises himself with magic, he'll be all right."

The words were barely out of Nash's mouth before several city guards rushed past them.

"Shit." Geddoe drew his sword and chased after the guards. "Come on!" he shouted over his shoulder.

"Hey, my gun!" Clive took off running after Geddoe, Nash not far behind.

"Hey, my necklace!" the shopkeeper yelled.

***

Twaikin shook his head as Sasarai popped another cherry tart into his mouth. "How many of those are you going to eat?"

"Just a couple more," Sasarai said before reaching for another one. 

"You there! What do you think you're doing?"

Sasarai turned around to see several city guards glaring at him, weapons at the ready. "I'm eating some snacks," he said matter-of-factly. "Is there a problem? What can I do for you?"

"We received a report that ex-Bishop Sasarai was headed this way," one of the guards said, his features sharp with malice. "And that he might be using magic to disguise himself."

"If that's the case," Sasarai said, "then anyone in this town could be suspicious. What's so special about me?"

"He's a good actor," another guard said, but the first guard glared at him. 

"It's a known fact around here that Sir Sasarai has an unnaturally strong sweet tooth," the first guard said. "And only someone with a high salary could afford to buy that many sweets. Someone like a bishop."

"Calm down," a third guard said. "What if he's not the one we're looking for? You're going to look stupid, and if he's got a lot of pull around here, we're all going to get in trouble."

The first guard cleared his throat uncomfortably. "You're right," he admitted. He turned back to Sasarai. "Forgive me, sir. I hope you understand, but we're going to have to place you under arrest. We'd do the same to any man who bought a bunch of sweet stuff. Or acted suspiciously in any other way. Please rest assured that you will be treated well, and will not be sentenced to anything without a trial. We can even contact your--" He gave a cry of pain as a dart was embedded in his neck, and he slumped to the ground.

"You idiot," Geddoe growled, running to Sasarai's side. "Is getting your daily sugar rush that important?" he demanded as the rest of the guards rushed at him.

Sasarai raised his right arm to attack. "Calm down, Geddoe. It's been three days since I've had anything sweet. I think I've borne up pretty well."

Geddoe grunted with disgust as he sent a few guards to meet their makers--or at least the doctor. "I was hoping we wouldn't have to settle things this way. And don't use any earth magic," he added.

"I'm not crazy about doing this, either," Sasarai told him as he sent a bolt of non-elemental magic in their direction. "And don't worry, I won't."

"Dammit, give me my rifle," Clive ordered, but Geddoe ignored him. 

"Here." Nash handed Clive a few scrolls. "Use these. Each one is good for a fire spell." He shot several more non-lethal darts.

"They're just going to send for reinforcements," Geddoe said as he cut down three more guards. "Don't you know any teleportation spells, Sasarai?"

Sasarai shook his head. "Don't you think I would have used one by now?"

Just as more guards were appearing, a blur of motion pushed past Sasarai and Geddoe. "Your bros will take care of you guys, so get out of here!" a familiar voice shouted. 

"'Bros'?" Geddoe repeated.

The man Sasarai had run into at the Brass Castle, Hoi, accompanied by two men and one woman, dashed past his group and began to fight the guards. Hoi and one of the other men fought with tonfa, the woman fought with nanchaku, and the last man, who turned to Sasarai and said, "You haven't changed a bit, Sir Sasarai" as he hit a guard over the head, used a staff.

"Sir...Jowy?" Sasarai was shocked. 

"Still here?" Hoi's tonfa-wielding buddy asked. "Get the hell out of this town. Your disguise spell is slipping."

"Oh, shit!" Geddoe scooped up Sasarai and fireman-carried him out of the marketplace with several guards in pursuit. "You and your fucking sweet tooth!"

***

This time, Nino was sleeping in the bed with Nina and Dios, nestled between them like a hot dog in a bun.

"How's the knee?" Nina asked as she stroked Nino's hair.

"Still hurts like a bitch," Dios groaned. "Whoops, sorry," he added, covering his mouth.

Nina laughed and shook her head. "I don't care what language you use in front of me, Dios. Just as long as Nino doesn't hear it."

Dios smiled fondly at the lad sleeping next to him. "Who knows? Maybe he heard it in his sleep. We'll know in a few days, I'm sure."

Nina took Dios hand and squeezed it. "Dios, how much longer do you think we'll be kept here? You don't think they're planning to keep us here for good, do you?"

"No." Should he tell her what he was suspecting? He supposed she deserved to hear it, even if his first instinct was to protect her from any frightening ideas. "I think what is most likely is that they're holding us for ransom, so that Lord Sasarai will return to Lord Hikusaak's service. Either that, or..." He stopped as he remembered something Sasarai had told him.

"Or what?"

Dios continued slowly, "Lord Sasarai once told me that Lord Hikusaak is very unforgiving when it comes to traitors. Furthermore, because Lord Sasarai bears the True Earth Rune, Lord Hikusaak would see his leaving the temple for good as a betrayal. Because all True Runes rightfully belong to Lord Hikusaak, Lord Sasarai would, in essence, be stealing something of utmost importance from him."

Nina shuddered. "So you're saying he wants to kill Lord Sasarai?"

"That's what I suspect," Dios answered. "Or remove the True Earth Rune from Lord Sasarai's body, which amounts to the same thing."

Nina's voice grew quiet. "I remember you telling me that Lord Sasarai can't live for very long without the True Earth Rune. How long would he have?"

Dios shrugged. "He was able to last a week when Luc took it from him. He even fought alongside the Fire Bringer and survived a duel with Luc, although he was much weaker than he would have been with the Rune. Beyond that, I don't know. A couple of months, maybe. All I know is that it would kill him sooner rather than later."

"What will happen to us if Lord Sasarai refuses to come back?" Nina wrapped her arms around Nino. "If something happens to our child, I'll--" Her voice broke off and she began to weep. 

"Nina, Nina..." Dios longed to comfort her, but what could he say? "I'm so sorry, Nina. If only I were stronger, I..."

Nina shook her head. "It's like you told me--you made the right choice."

He looked away. "But what kind of man am I if I can't even protect my family?"

"Oh, come now." Nina prodded his shoulder lightly. "Do you think it's just a man's job to protect his family? Anyway, what could you have done? I saw you try to help me, and that's when that man hit you in the knee. What was that thing he hit you with, anyway?"

"I believe it was a gun," Dios said. "I don't know how they're made or how they work, but a few people in this country know how to use them. They say that to be shot with one feels like you're on fire."

"That reminds me," she whispered. "I need to wash and redress your wound again. The doctor said it should be done at least twice a day."

"Later," he said. "Remember, rest is important, too. And you haven't been getting enough sleep lately."

"All right." Nina yawned, then turned her back to Dios. "Goodnight."

Dios closed his eyes and waited a few moments before answering. "Goodnight, Nina."

***

"Sasarai, when are you going to get over it? It was a few cherry tarts, not a few lives."

"Be quiet, Nash. Let me grieve in peace."

Sasarai had been depressed ever since one of his bags of sweets had been dropped in the confusion after the fight with the Calerian guards. He had to admit that it had lightened the load, but they only sold that particular kind of tart in Caleria--and he doubted he would ever be able to go back.

"I hate my life," he grumbled. "First I find out that Hikusaak hates me, then Dios is in danger of being executed because of me, and now my fucking cherry tarts are gone." He buried his face against his knees and began to sob.

Geddoe and Clive rolled their eyes, and Nash covered up his mouth to keep from laughing aloud, but Twaikin shuffled over to Sasarai and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel," he said quietly. His voice was surprisingly soothing. "After my wife and brother both died, I was as unfeeling as a stone. But then, I hit a rock while I was digging, and I suddenly started bawling. Just collapsed into the dirt and cried until my voice was hoarse. Later, my cousin told me that nobody knew what to do with me--they were all afraid I'd lost it." He wrapped his arms around Sasarai--at least as well as he could--and added, "Just cry it out. You'll feel better afterward--and hungry, too, I'll bet."

"Those tarts were so good," Sasarai wept. 

"I know, I know." Twaikin stroked Sasarai's back. He turned to the others and explained, "Sasarai is distancing himself from his real problems by focusing on the cherry tarts. It's a defense mechanism, and it's pretty common in times of grief or great stress." 

Geddoe made a face. "Normally, I would understand, but...Seeing Sasarai do it is pissing me off."

Clive shrugged. "You don't spend enough time with him, Geddoe. Sasarai's always been a bit tender-hearted."

"I'm sick of this," Sasarai whimpered. "I just want to go home! Or at least to an inn! I hate sleeping outside!"

"Now he's regressing," Twaikin explained. "He wants to be babied. At this point, it's important to acknowledge his feelings without indulging him."

"You sure as hell don't have to worry about me indulging his infantile fantasies," Geddoe said gruffly. "This is the most pathetic thing I've ever seen."

"I think it's cute," said Nash, but everyone ignored him. 

***

After everyone had some of Geddoe's stew, Sasarai felt a lot better, and he was ready to sleep. "Nash, sleep next to me. We may as well make this a sleepover."

"Sure thing," Nash agreed, pulling his sleeping bag to where Sasarai was resting. "It's been a long time since we've slept side by side."

"At least ten years or so," Sasarai said. He turned on his side and smiled at Nash. "Remember when it was just you and me? I hadn't met Clive or Dios yet. I didn't have any friends, and I had convinced myself that I had no interest in making any. I hadn't even decided how I intended to use you, but when I met you, the first words out of your mouth were, 'Please allow me to express my deepest thanks for saving my sister. In gratitude, I hereby devote myself to your eternal service.'"

Nash laughed. "I was bluffing. If you had actually demanded a lifetime of servitude from me, I would have immediately begun to think up some schemes to get out of Harmonia with Lena and Julie."

"You were smart to take them into consideration, although I would have been reluctant to use them against you."

"Reluctant," Nash repeated. "Not unwilling."

"No. Still, I wouldn't have gone as far as Hikusaak has." Sasarai's smile faded and he added, "As time passed, I grew envious of you, Nash. Even when I left the temple for military campaigns, I was never really free. My enjoyment of the outside world was sobered by the lives lost in battle, both Harmonian and otherwise. I couldn't believe the stupid things people would fight for. Who the hell cares who owns a tiny scrap of land?"

"You're talking about the Higheast Rebellion?"

"That and others," Sasarai answered. "I thought it was funny that we called it a rebellion, when the whole thing was started by one of our generals invading the Higheast Province without permission. A rash decision led to the loss of thousands of lives." He closed his eyes and sighed. "Then again, we only pulled out because it became clear that the drawbacks of going to war against the Dunan Republic outweighed the benefits." He looked back at Nash. "Do you think we have a chance of getting Dios and his family out of there?"

"There's always a chance," Nash said. "It might not be a very good chance, but it's a chance. If the odds being against one had any meaning, I would have been dead long ago. In fact, all of us would be dead."

Sasarai knew that Nash was talking about Luc. "Every day I wonder...What if I could have done more to help him, but didn't do enough? I was so angry with him at the time. Not only had he gotten the best of me twice, he had turned my world upside-down. I didn't know what to believe anymore. And then, when he had the upper hand...he spared me. I desperately wanted to hate him for that, but when I saw the sadness in his eyes..." Sasarai sniffed, then cleared his throat. "I knew there was something else that he wasn't telling me. My only clue was what he said: 'This will be the final battle to decide whether humans can determine their destiny.' I thought he just hated Harmonia and wanted revenge. But at that moment..."

"That's enough, Sasarai." Nash reached out and took Sasarai's hand. "Of course you were angry with him. Thousands of lives were lost because of him. And his only attitude toward you had been antagonistic. Don't blame yourself. And don't worry, I don't mean that he was some heartless psychopath. If he spared you, then there must have been some good in him. But it was no more your responsibility to to change him than it was anyone else's."

"Thanks, Nash." Sasarai rolled onto his back and looked up at the sky. "Don't you think the stars look sharper when it's cold? And every sound is so clear. It's like that poem: 'How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle in the icy air of night'..." He yawned. "I wonder what Christmas will be like this year? Or where I'll be? Not in Harmonia, that's for sure."

"You could be with me," Nash suggested. "I can come and go as I please now." He paused, then gave Sasarai a teasing grin. "Or you could be with Salome."

Sasarai groaned. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well, I've never seen you so distraught over having to leave someone's side," Nash said. "I'm sure everyone who saw you knows now, too. Even Salome."

"Oh, God!" Sasarai's face grew hot. "I'm not used to feeling this way about someone. What should I do? I didn't expect him to--to do anything about it."

Nash shrugged. "If you don't need him to return your feelings, then I suppose you could just do nothing and wait for him to bring it up. Or maybe he won't. I don't know how the Zexens feel about that sort of thing."

"I can't think about this. Not right now." Sasarai sighed and nestled down into his sleeping bag. "Sometimes I think Hikusaak can read my thoughts. If that's the case, we'll be lucky if anyone survives, let alone all of us. You and the others had better put a plan together that I don't hear or know about. Assume that I could turn into your enemy at any time."

"I'll let Geddoe know," Nash said, "and the four of us can hold a meeting while you're somewhere else. Don't worry, Sasarai. It'll all be all right."

This time, Sasarai's smile was automatic as he began to drift off to sleep. "Thank you, Nash. I couldn't ask for a better friend."

***

"This is about as close as we can get to the Base Inn without being detected," Sasarai said. "There are lookout stations placed every quarter of a mile for the next two miles. There is a series of these lookout stations for each of the four cardinal directions and each of the four intercardinal directions. That means that the closer you get to the Base Inn, the closer together the lookout towers are, and the more likely you are to be caught." When he was finished speaking, he had a self-satisfied look on his face, as though he had finished a book report. "Any questions?"

Sasarai's group had reached the southwestern outskirts of Crystal Valley, an area which was flat and almost entirely devoid of trees, rocks, and other geographical features. A thin layer of snow powdered the ground, which consisted of hardened soil with small patches of grass here and there. Sasarai could sense that the top layer was mostly artificial.

Clive cringed. "Does this mean we're going to have to crawl underground for two miles?"

"We've got two days before Dios is eliminated," Geddoe said. "We have time to take a few breaks, I believe."

"Digging a tunnel takes a lot less time than expanding a cave like the Great Hollow," Twaikin assured them. "If I dig a tunnel seven feet high, three feet wide, and two miles long, it should take about 12 to 18 hours, depending on how yielding the earth is, and how quickly I can dig out walls and a ceiling that won't collapse."

"I can help with that," Sasarai said. "The earth listens to me. I can't control it completely, but I can hold the tunnel fairly steady, and cast a barrier spell if it starts to collapse."

Twaikin shook his head. "I'm not going to have anyone rely on that as anything more than a back-up plan. I have methods of my own to employ to keep the tunnel from collapsing, but because of what you told us about Hikusaak's ability to read minds, you'd best wander off for a spell until I finish digging. You don't really want to know how I do everything, anyway, do you?"

"Oh, I would if it didn't endanger anyone. But you're right--in this case, I don't want to know how you intend to accomplish it." He put his hands in his pockets and sighed, adding, "We'll be taking enough of a risk as it is. I'll go spend some time in Limid, and the rest of you work out a plan. I'll return in three hours and see how everyone's doing, but if none of you are here, I'll enter the tunnel by myself. Is that all right with everyone?"

Geddoe nodded. "That's a good idea. Don't be surprised if we leave you behind."

"I won't be." Sasarai began to walk away, then turned back to face everyone. "This may or may not help you, but there's no telling what Hikusaak will do if he finds out what we're doing. Expect to be attacked at any time, anywhere. I'm sorry for the danger I'm putting you in. And thank you. Let's do our best, so that this Christmas won't be our last."

"Technically, it isn't Christmas yet," said Clive. "If we die, last year's Christmas would have been our last."

"Dammit, Clive, I was being dramatic!" Sasarai rolled his eyes. "Why'd you have to go and ruin the mood like that?" 

***

Limid was a tiny, quiet town of about three hundred people, but they really went all out for holidays. The villagers hung strings of tiny lights that looked like stars on their houses, and every home and public venue had a tree decorated with balls and garland inside, as well as a wreath hung on their doors. As Sasarai watched a pair of children chattering excitedly as their smiling parents led them along the cobblestone streets, he almost felt as though nothing bad could happen on a night like this one.

It was a ridiculous notion, but it made him smile nonetheless.

For about forty-five minutes, Sasarai wandered through Limid's streets, occasionally stopping in one of the shops. He bought an Alexandertorte for himself, as well as four more for the others. He also visited the toy shoppe, not intending to buy anything, but in the end, a medium-sized leather ball caught his attention.

"How much is this ball?" he asked a sales clerk.

"One hundred sixty-five potch," the clerk answered.

Sasarai placed two hundred potch on the counter. "Keep the change."

As he stepped out of the shoppe, he realized he was starting to get hungry. Not wanting to dig into his torte stash (and fearful that if he had one, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from eating the rest), he entered a nearby tavern.

Save for a single Christmas tree, there was nothing in particular that made the tavern stand out from any other. A man sat in one corner with a guitar, playing "O Holy Night." He was surrounded by several young women, who gazed at him with adoring expressions.

"Just wait until my partners come back," he told them. "You're in for a treat, I promise."

"What can I get you, sir?" one of the waiters asked when Sasarai sat down. "I highly recommd our pickles; they're the five-time champions of the West Harmonia Pickling Competition."

"I'll have two, then," Sasarai said, "and a hamburger and a slice of cheesecake. Is the cider non-alcoholic?" 

"Yes, it's apple cider," the waiter said gently, as though apple cider's lack of alcohol were an established fact that everyone should know. "Altogether, that will be 2,334 potch."

Sasarai nodded and smiled. "Thanks. Do you want me to pay now?"

"You can if you'd like to enjoy your meal without having to worry about paying afterward," the waiter said. 

So Sasarai paid and listened to the man's guitar playing while he waited. Considering the weather, the tavern was comfortably warm, and Sasarai took off his coat. He hadn't even been to that many taverns, but he certainly preferred them to the sterile environment of the temple's dining hall, or eating alone in his commander's tent on the battlefield.

The battlefield...

Sasarai had never liked fighting, but it was the most recent war that had finally made Sasarai realize how much he disliked it. Being forced to fight with the same people had been fighting against had opened his eyes to just how much people valued not only their lives, but their families and homes as well.

He had never had a family; the closest thing he'd had to a father was Bishop Jae, who had raised and educated him until his death in 454. And now that he looked back on his childhood, he realized he had never really had a home, either. He supposed his own room, as well as Bishop Jae's study, had had a sort of homey feel to them, but the rest of the temple had been more like a library, or perhaps an antique shop, where he had needed to stay quiet and touch as little as possible, where the adults had looked at him with distant, guarded eyes.

From the very beginning, Sasarai had known he was different from the other bishops, in more ways than one. He had been the only child who resided at the temple, but it hadn't been as though he never saw any other children. He had been allowed outside with an escort. The other bishops, however, had never spoken to him as an equal; even as they addressed each other casually, they were always extremely formal with him, calling him "Lord Sasarai" and using polite speech. They had appeared to look upon him with a mixture of reverence, fear, and...sorrow? Pity? Disgust? Envy? Only Bishop Jae had treated him like a child, even as he maintained his formal speech and never failed to address Sasarai without the mandatory honorific.

Growing up, Sasarai had had no time for true friends, which was why Nash, Dios, and Clive were so important to him now. As the waiter placed his meal on the table, Sasarai buried his face in his hands and prayed, Please...Please let everyone be safe.

***

It had been two hours since Twaikin had begun digging, and the other men had neither seen nor heard him for almost as long.

Clive blew out his breath and said, "Dwarves are amazing. How can they dig so fast without making anything collapse?"

"I hear they use some sort of putty to stabilize the earth around them," Nash said.

Clive shook his head. "That doesn't make sense. Twaikin wasn't carrying anything but that shovel."

Nash winked. "Of course not. Don't you know? Dwarves actually feast on dirt as they're doing, and it comes out the other end. That's Dwarf Putty."

"I could have lived my entire life not knowing that," Clive said, his face twisted with disgust.

"Nash is joking with you," Geddoe said. "It's actually their sweat. Dwarves sweat a lot when they work, and when it mixes with the earth, it causes a chemical reaction that gives the dirt clay-like properties. I'm not positive, but I think there's a bit of magic involved too, ancient dwarven magic. Like alchemists have done with their respective trades, dwarves have managed to keep most of the secrets behind their digging skills to themselves."

Nash checked his watch. "Sasarai should be coming back in about forty-five minutes. Am I right in assuming that we're going to be here for him?"

"Yes, unless Twaikin finishes the tunnel first, or we're attacked by a large group and need to draw them underground so we can force them into a series of one-on-one fights." Practical as ever, Geddoe reached into one of Sasarai's sacks and pulled out a small bag of lemon drops. "Who's hungry?"

"Do you think Sasarai will mind if we have some?" Clive asked, while Nash held out his hand.

"Beats me. I think the amount of sweets he consumes is ridiculous. Even if it doesn't seem to have any effect on him, all that sugar can't be good for him. We're probably doing a favor by lightening his load a little, anyway." Geddoe shook his head in disgust. "I can't believe he bought all this candy without even considering that it might slow us down."

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about running out of food." Nash put a handful into his mouth and immediately began to chew them. "Mmmm, sweet."

***

Sasarai felt a sudden chill against his back and turned to see several people entering the tavern. There were two couples, a child, and several young men and women, all of them looking excited and happy.

"Ah, here we are." The guitarist stopped the song he was on ("O Come All Ye Faithful") and looked up, beaming at one of the women who had just entered. "You've picked up quite a crowd, Annallee. Do they know the words already?"

"Sure do," she answered, grinning back at him. "These people really know how to sing. Alberto suggested we go caroling afterward. "It's not too cold tonight, so we could probably go for at least half an hour. What do you think?"

Sasarai frowned as he studied the husband of the woman named Annallee. He looked familiar....

"Ladies and gentlemen," the guitarist announced, "please give a warm welcome to my partners, Annallee and Alberto, their spouses, Kenji and Teresa, Annallee and Kenji's daughter, Marilou, and their recruited singers, some of whom you may already know."

"Kenji"? Oh, of course!

The other diners burst into applause, although several continued to stare at the guitarist. Sasarai clapped a few times before waving to get Kenji's attention. "Hey, Kenji!"

Kenji looked around in a confused manner before his eyes settled on Sasarai. "Oh, Bishop Sasarai! Look, pumpkin, it's that tiny bishop I told you about!"

"'Tiny'? That's rich coming from you. You're barely an inch taller than me." Sasarai waved Kenji over. "Keep me company. I've got about twenty minutes before I need to leave."

Kenji turned to Annallee. "Is that all right, Anna?"

"Of course. You sing too loudly, anyway." Annallee gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm glad you ran into someone you know."

Kenji ordered two cheeseburgers, one pickle, and a side of pickled cabbage with carrot juice to drink. "Gotta stay healthy," he said in response to Sasarai's sickened expression. "So what brings you all the way out here?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you," Sasarai said. "It's a secret mission. But don't worry. Nobody here is in danger." He took a large bite of his own hamburger, chewed, swallowed, and added, "It's for Dios."

Kenji nodded understandingly. "I wondered where he was. Usually, the two of you are glued at the hip."

It suddenly occurred to Sasarai that if this mission didn't go over well, he might never see Dios again. Tears filled his eyes, and he said, "He...couldn't come with me. I miss him."

"It'll be all right, Bishop." Kenji patted him on the back. "Or should I just call you 'Sasarai' now?"

"'Sasarai' is fine. I guess there isn't anyone left who thinks I'm still a bishop."

"Or still alive," Kenji added. "I was kind of sad when I heard you'd disappeared. When someone like you just vanishes from the public eye, you kind of assume the worst." Annallee walked over to the guitarist, and he said, "We'd better stop talking now. You don't want to miss this. I don't want to boast, but my wife has the most beautiful voice in the world."

Alberto and the guitarist played an introduction, and Annallee, along with all the female singers, began:

__

Cold are the people, winter of life  
We tremble in shadows this cold, endless night  
Frozen in the snow lie roses, sleeping  
Flowers that will echo the sunrise  
Fire of hope is our only warmth  
Weary, its flame will be dying soon

Goosebumps rose on Sasarai's arms. Even with several women singing along with her, Annallee's voice stood out. It was so clear and pure, like the sound of a bell. It reminded him of when Nei and Toppo used to sing at Budehuc Castle, and he strongly wished he and Dios were still there, in a place that had felt more like home than any other.

"We now invite everyone here to sing alone with 'Silent Night,'" Annallee announced.

At first, Sasarai only listened, but when he started humming, Kenji urged him to join in. So he did, singing for the first time in months. He was usually embarrassed about his voice--he had perfect pitch, but no inflection--but people far worse than him were singing, and it felt strange to be the only one staying quiet.

In the second and third verses, the choir--both men and women now--sang the first song while the diners sang "Silent Night." Near the end of the third verse, both melodies came together in a climax that brought him to tears again. His voice shook as he sang the final line.

"Are you okay?" Kenji asked as diner and musician alike applauded.

Sasarai nodded. "I've had a lot on my mind lately." He pulled out his watch and wiped his eyes. "I have to go now. I promised my friends I'd meet up with them."

Kenji held his hand out, but Sasarai responded with a hug. "You sure you're okay, Sasarai?"

"Thank you," Sasarai whispered. "Just in case I don't see you again. I appreciate you keeping me company, and you can tell your wife that she really does have a beautiful voice."

Kenji hugged Sasarai back. "Take care of yourself, little buddy."

***

"I bought some Alexandertortes," Sasarai announced to the three men waiting for him. "But we should wait until we're all together to eat them. I bought one for each of us." He looked into one of his sacks. "Hey, what happeend to my lemon drops?"

"Here." Clive handed Sasarai the bag that was now relieved of three-fourths of its lemon drops. "I made sure they left some for you."

Sasarai eagerly stuffed the rest of them into his mouth. "I needed a palate cleanther," he explained with his mouth full.

"You sound like a kid," Geddoe grumbled as he bit into a piece of beef jerky. "Weren't you ever taught not to talk with your mouth full?"

Sasarai finished his lemon drops before asking, "Have you heard from Twaikin at all?"

"Not a peep," Nash said. "Either he hasn't run into any trouble down there, or he's dead."

"No news is good news," said Clive. "Still, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to check on him."

"There are monsters that might attack him underground, too," Nash agreed. "He's a pretty good fighter himself, but he might be getting worn out by now."

Geddoe stood up. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm sick of sitting around. I think we should definitely check on him."

The others agreed, so they all headed into the tunnel...

***

Things were looking bad for Nino. The captain of the prison guard had refused Dexter's request for further accommodations for Dios' family, and there was little Nina could do to entertain him.

"I'm bored!" the child cried after Nina did "walking fingers" with him for the sixth time that day.

"I know, honey," Nina said sadly. "But there's nothing we can do. You just have to use your imagination."

"I want to _move_!"

Dios didn't have the heart to scold him, either. Kids needed to run and play, and there wasn't nearly enough space in this cell for Nino to do that. The guards refused to give him any chores to do, and even if Nino started at one end of the cell, he wouldn't have even reached his top speed by the time he hit the opposite wall.

With nothing to do but think, Dios had come to expect the worst: He and his family would most likely be killed if Sasarai didn't show up. Perhaps they would be killed even if he did. How did these things usually play out, anyway? He doubted Hikusaak would let Sasarai live after what he had done. 

Dios hated the thought of being a pawn in Sasarai's death. Although he would never say this to Nina, he'd gladly give up his own life if it would save Sasarai. He'd rather not, since he did love Nina and Nino and knew they would grieve, but Nina was tough, and would find a way to survive and raise Nino without him. She could always return to her family in Dunan, or Dios' family could look after her here.

Nina was trying so hard to keep their son occupied: she played games with him, sang to him, hugged him, kissed him--he was still too young to refuse her displays of affection--and even let him play with his food during mealtimes, as long as he ate it when he was done. Still, he could see her microexpressions of weariness and fear, especially when she looked his way. All of them were succombing to the despair of knowing they would probably never leave this prison.

"Mommy, is Lord Sasa-rai really gone?" Nino asked. "Did he die?"

Nina sadly stroked his hair and said, "I don't know, Nino. Who told you he was gone?"

"Daddy said he was. He said that me and you and him would have to stay here until he came back, but he's not coming back. If he died, then we'll never get to go home!" Nino looked pleadingly at Dios. "Daddy, he's coming back, right? We can go home soon. Right?"

"Right," Dios said, without thinking. "I'm sure Lord Sasarai will get here soon. It's a long way from the temple to where we are. So it might take a while. But he'll be here."

***

"We're never going to get there," Sasarai moaned. "Twaikin's not even halfway finished."

"Well, what did you expect?" Clive took a strip of jerky from Geddoe. "It's only been five hours. Twaikin said it would take at least 12 hours."

The four men were an hour into the tunnel, which, while dry, stable, and breathable, was also quite narrow and pitch-black inside. With Sasarai being afraid of centipedes (as much as he hated to admit it), and Clive being afraid of spiders (as much as he hated to admit it), and Nash being afraid of confined spaces (of which he enjoyed reminding everyone every ten minutes or so), it was no exaggeration to say the atmosphere was tense.

Sasarai was surprised that Geddoe wasn't snapping at them to hurry up and quit complaining. Then again, maybe Geddoe was used to everyone acting childishly. After all, Geddoe was over a hundred years old, and the people he normally worked with (especially Ace and Joker) didn't exactly act their age, either. Sasarai had noticed that Geddoe seemed more like a firm but loving parent with the rest of the 12th unit, rather than a commanding officer. Maybe he was finally starting to enjoy interacting with Clive, Nash, and himself as well.

As everyone had suspected, there was no shortage of dokugumo, ghost slugs, and spark beetles to fight, and they slowed down the group considerably. Magic-based attacks were a no-no down here, rendering Sasarai useless, and the use of gunpowder would be suicide, which made Clive almost useless. In other words, Geddoe and Nash were doing almost all of the fighting.

"It's too bad," Sasarai said, "since technically we're invading their space."

"I don't feel sorry for them at all," Clive said. "They could stand to be a little friendlier. It's not like we're trying to kill them or anything."

It was extremely difficult to fight in the dark, but at least the spark beetles could light things up for a moment. The dokugumo, however, attacked without warning. Sasarai tried to ignore Clive's screams when this happened.

"Maybe it hasn't been five hours," Nash said as he sliced through another ghost slug. "I mean, it's not like we can look at our watches. Maybe it's only been four hours, or maye it's been six. Who can tell?"

"And I must scream," Clive muttered.

"It does feel like it's taking forever," Sasarai agreed. "What if we're down here for days, but it feels like it's only been a few hours?"

"That would be better," Nash said. "Because there has to be an end to this tunnel eventually. Right? Twaikin wouldn't trap us down here."

"But how does he know where he even is?" Clive asked. "I mean, unless he's digging to the surface every now and then. And if he pokes his head above ground, it'll give his position away, and the prison guards will go after him. He might not even be alive."

"That's true," Geddoe said, "but dwarves have an excellent sense of direction. Our human one can't even compare to it."

"Did you work with a lot of dwarves, Geddoe?" Sasarai asked.

"I have over the years, yes. Most of them were cave dwarves from Falena. Even after they were granted citizenship by Queen Lymsleia, they're rarely seen above ground. I learned many things about working in caves, tunnels, and mines from the dwarves, although they didn't teach me any of their secret skills."

"You must have learned a lot of things from all sorts of people, Geddoe. I really admire you."

Geddoe was quiet for a moment before answering. "You'll do all right, Sasarai, as long as you stay true to yourself. Whatever happens with Hikusaak, don't let him pull you in again. You're stronger than that. And if he can read your thoughts, you can tell him I said that, too."

Sasarai shuddered. "Maybe he can't read my thoughts. If he could, wouldn't we have been attacked by Harmonian soldiers by now?"

"Doubtful," Clive said. "If anything, they're waiting to ambush us at the prison. Hikusaak's probably too smart to try fighting us underground."

"Too bad innocent people are in the prison," Nash said. "It would be a lot easier to just blow the whole thing up, wouldn't it? Then we wouldn't have to be stuck in a place like this. We may as well be in a giant coffin."

"Too early for that," Geddoe mumbled."

"At least it's warmer down here," Sasarai said.

The conversation died down, and Sasarai began to think of possible scenarios that would take place at the prison. Would Dios and his family be together, or separated? Where exactly would Twaikin's tunnel lead them? It was unlikely that they would resurface inside Dios' cell; that would be too much of a coincidence. And what would the floor be made of? An earthen floor would be the most convenient, but it was probably stone or marble. Of course, it wouldn't be difficult for Sasarai to destroy anything made from a natural substance, but...

Would they have to fight any guards? How many? Sasarai knew they would probably be extremely powerful mages, since both he and Geddoe were together. They probably knew how to remove a True Rune from its bearer as well. If they defeated Geddoe and himself, they would be able to obtain an extra True Rune. Would Hikusaak make more clones to bear those Runes, or would he pass them down to subordinates he trusted?

After Sasarai had lost to Luc, he had taken to spending at least three hours per day studying powerful magic, both offensive and defense, in case he should ever find himself needing to fight another powerful opponent. He had fit himself with two more runes that enabled him to cast frighteningly strong spells, at the cost of a large chunk of his stamina. If it did come to that, he wouldn't be in any shape to fight for a while. Did he have the courage to carry it out? He hoped so.

***

Dios and Nina had allowed their son to throw a tantrum, hoping it would wear him out enough to sleep. It worked--the child was now curled up on his cot, out like a light.

"I don't even know what day it is anymore," Dios mumbled as Nina redressed his knee.

"It's the sixth--no, the seventh," Nina corrected herself. "It's past midnight. In other words, three days since Nino's last bath. He'll need to take one in the morning."

"At least we're given the luxury of water and soap," Dios said. "I think I would have gone insane by now if we weren't. I suppose Nino would have been thrilled, though. He's like most boys at his age."

Nina laughed. "Girls, too. I hated taking baths when I was a child. I didn't see the point, since I was just going to get dirty again."

"Not me. My friends thought I was weird for wanting to bathe every day. Then again, I didn't like getting dirty, either. How is my wound looking?"

"It's going to scar," Nina said. "But fortunately, it isn't infected. Pretty soon, you'll need to start doing some rehabilitation exercises--at least, that's what the surgeon said. About a week after surgery. But I doubt you're going to be able to do any until we get out of here." She tied the ends of the last bandage together and climbed into bed next to Dios. "Or any other...activities, either."

Dios sighed. "I know. I'm as disappointed as you are. And our anniversary is next month, too."

Nina kissed his forehead. "Try not to think about that, Dios."

"But it's our tenth." He took her hand and squeezed it. "And I'd rather think about how many years we've been together than that we might not be together for any more."

"That's true," Nina agreed. "But like I said, at least we're together. What really bothers me is that Nino's here with us. I'd agree to stay here for the rest of my life, if only Nino could go free."

God, how he wanted to make love to her. But even after five days, he could barely sit up, let alone engage in sexual activity. "Me, too. If I had you, Nina, it wouldn't be so bad. We could make it work. Maybe we could get the guards to bring in some furniture. Maybe a cheap painting or two to make the place look nice. I suppose they wouldn't give us any candles or stoves or knives, so we'd have to rely on others for food. But the food isn't too bad here. I could get used to it."

"It's a ridiculous idea." Nina giggled for a moment, but then her face grew sober. "Dios, I know I said not to talk about things like this, but I can't stop thinking about it. Do you think they're going to kill Nino?"

Dios paused before answering. "I...I think it's a possibility. If Hikusaak is threatening to kill us if Lord Sasarai doesn't return to Harmonia, and Lord Sasarai doesn't return, he'll have to follow through, or he'll lose face in front of his country. Threats are only effective if people know you will carry them out. And the fact that he's brought Nino here as well means that he's either going to keep all three of us imprisoned here for good, or he's going to kill us if Lord Sasarai doesn't do what he says."

He felt Nina shudder, and he squeezed her hand again. "If that happens...I just hope they kill me first. I don't want to see him die. Dios, promise me you'll do what you can to make sure he doesn't die first. I don't care if I die before you, either. Although you can die first yourself, if you want to be spared of seeing me die." Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry. I'm not saying I love you less than I love myself, it's just--"

"I understand," Dios interrupted, and he pulled her into his arms. "I think we both wish we could be spared the sight of watching the other die, but neither wants to watch Nino die."

"I guess I'm being selfish." Nina sniffed. "After all, it might be worst if he had to watch us die..."

"True. But I doubt we'll be killed in front of each other, now that I think about it." He frowned. "You know, Nina...There might be a way for you and Nino to escape."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"Digging. It's a long shot, but the guards aren't always watching. You could have Nino just pick at the dirt when they're not nearby. It'll give him something to do, and if you do get caught, you can tell the guards that he was just playing, and scold him. I mean, that'll probably be the end of it, but it least they won't kill him or you on the spot.

"And on the off-chance that you dig a hole big enough to get through, you could get out, maybe dig a tunnel or something until it's safe."

Nina shook her head. "It wouldn't work. There could be guards outside, too. They kept us in a windowless carriage when they were bringing us here, so I really don't know what the situation is around here."

"You're right," Dios admitted. "In fact, there are almost certainly guards outside. But if it's nighttime, you still have a chance. You told me you snuck around at night during the Dunan War to bring supplies to Teresa Wisemail. You might be able to accomplish this, Nina. If nothing else, you'll give our son a fighting chance. 

"I won't tell you what you have to do. It's your choice."

Nina sighed. "You're right, of course. At the very least, it will give Nino something to do. I'll tell him he can only do it when the guards aren't watching. I don't think it will work, but it's not like we've got anything to lose."

Suddenly, Dios remembered something. "Nina, wait. No. You can't do this. You do have something to lose."

"What's that?"

"If you escape and get caught, they probably won't kill you on the spot. They might torture you. Our government puts up a facade of righteousness, but I know there are those who believe in torture. It is not against the law. I can't let you do something that might result in you going through something like that."

She gave him an exasperated look. "Dios, do you think that didn't occur to me? I'm not naive, you know. The Harmonians didn't invent torture. But like you said, this is the only chance we've got, and it's for Nino's sake. But more importantly, it will give him something to do. I really don't think he'll actually get us out of here; digging even a hole big enough for me to squeeze through would takes days, or even weeks. We may not have that much time."

"Do you think Nino would understand that we have to keep this a secret from the guards?"

She grinned. "Of course! Little boys have all kinds of secrets. It'll just be like another game. In fact, I won't even tell him we're trying to escape. He'll just dig for fun."

Now that Dios thought about it, he knew it would never work. But maybe it would give Nino enough hope to last him until...

Until the end came. No matter what kind of ending it might be.

***

After several hours, Geddoe, Clive, Nash, and Sasarai had caught up with Twaikin. After several more hours, Twaikin told them they were approaching the end.

"But it's strange," he said with a frown in his voice. "I can hear the earth shifting nearby. I can't be sure, but it's almost as if someone else is digging nearby."

Sasarai closed his eyes (not that it mattered when it was this dark) and slowly nodded. "He's right. It's not too far away, either."

"Someone planning a surprise for us?" Geddoe asked.

"If they are," Twaikin said, "they're doing a poor job of it. At the rate they're going, they won't reach our spot for a week. And it's very, very faint--like a child digging with its hands."

"A...A child?" Sasarai's heart lept. "No...It couldn't be..."

"It shouldn't take 20 minutes for us to get there," Twaikin said. "What do you men think?"

***

Exactly twenty minutes later, Twaikin and the others came face-to-face with a little boy.

"Hello, there," Twaikin whispered. "What's your name?"

In response, the child gave a squeak of fear and pushed a pile of dirt into Twaikin's face.

"We're here to help you," said Twaikin. "Is your daddy named Dios? I know him. He's a very brave man."

"I don't believe you," he said. "Tell me something about him that's only true about him."

"He has a big nose and sideburns."

"Someone else could have a big nose and sideburns."

Sasarai pushed Twaikin aside. "Dios is married to a woman named Nina and he has a little boy named Nino. His son has the same eyes as I do, bright green. He had four brothers, but one of them died in a war. He was a crybaby when he was your age, and he was afraid of the dark until he was twelve. He first started growing his sideburns when he was fourteen, and he's had the same ones ever since."

"Why did he grow sideburns?" Nino asked.

"Because his grandpa had sideburns."

Nino grinned. "Only me and Mommy know that! I know who you are! You're Lord Sasarai!"

Sasarai smiled. "That's right, Nino. We're here to rescue your mommy and daddy, and you, too. Can you bring them here?"

Nino shook his head. "Daddy's hurt in the knee and can't get up."

"That's going to be a problem," Nash said. "We need to get him through the tunnel for two miles."

"At least get your mother," Sasarai said to Nino. "Then the two of you can go through this tunnel. We'll make sure nothing bad happens to you, but you both have to come right now. The other men will protect you while Geddoe and I think about how we can help your father. Okay?"

"No," Clive said. "Lord Sasarai, I'm coming with you. Geddoe, Twaikin, and Nash can protect Nino and Nina."

"What?" Sasarai said, bewildered. "No. What if Hikusaak himself shows up? You can't possibly take him on."

"Listen to him, Sasarai," Geddoe said. "Besides, it's best if at least one True Rune bearer protects Nina and Nino."

"But you're stronger!" Sasarai insisted. "I can't carry Dios all by myself."

"Hey, that's enough," Clive said. "I'm no wimp. I can help you carry him."

"We decided this while you were gone, Sasarai," Nash said. "You and Clive will be together. You have to trust that we know what's best."

"...Okay," Sasarai finally agreed. "We don't have time to argue about it."

Within minutes, Nino had tumbled into Geddoe's arms, and Nina had also managed to crawl into the tunnel. It took a couple of minutes of maneuvering, but before long, she, Nino, Nash, Twaikin, and Geddoe were on their way to freedom.

"I told Dios you're here," Nina whispered to Sasarai. "God bless you for doing this. The guards shouldn't be back for at least forty minutes."

"I'll do my best," Sasarai whispered back, and he and Clive made their way, slowly and quietly, into the prison cell.

"What are you doing?" Dios whispered fiercely. "Please, Lord Sasarai, forget about me and get yourself to safety!"

"Don't be ridiculous." Sasarai leaned over Dios' knee. "They really did a number on you, didn't they? Do you think you can walk at all? It'll be better we get you out of here feet first, and we can't really carry you through the hole."

Dios cringed, then nodded. "I had to try to get you to leave me behind, even if I knew you wouldn't."

"You were the most faithful subordinate I ever had." Sasarai had to blink back tears as he saw how pale and weak Dios was. "And it's because of me that you're suffering like this."

He and Clive helped Dios get to his feet and supported him as the pain in his knee forced his legs to collapse.

"We're going to get you out of here," Sasarai promised. "And then we'll all celebrate Christmas together."

Clive shushed him. "It's best if we don't talk, regardless of what Nina said."

There was a sudden flash of light, and Dexter stepped into the room.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "But we can't allow you to leave, former Bishop Sasarai. And this certainly wasn't the way we planned to release Lord Dios. You really intend to drag him through a tunnel in his condition? Just how heartless are you?"

"D...Dexter!" Dios gasped. "It's...It's better if you don't...I like you, Dexter. But Lord Sasarai will hold nothing back to protect me. Go and get help."

"It's all right, Dios." Sasarai turned to Dexter and frowned. "I don't know who the man you're pretending to be is, but do you think I can't sense the power of a True Rune--especially yours?"

Dexter chuckled. "No, I never thought that. But this is far more dramatic, don't you think?" The illusion faded, and a thin, frail-looking blond man stood in its place.

"That's not your true form," Sasarai said. "Go on. Show me your real self. I'm sure you've been dying to, ever since I found out I was just a copy of you." He and Clive gently sat Dios down against the wall.

Hikusaak sighed. "I suppose that's the least I can do. You know, this fragile appearance serves me well. People let their guards down when they think I'm just a beautiful, sickly young man." There was another flash of light.

It really was the same face. Sasarai felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was like he was looking in a mirror, or rather, at Luc. Had Hikusaak cut his hair to look like Luc in order to mess with him?

Clive unshouldered his rifle, cocked it, and pointed it at Hikusaak. "Back away, Your Holiness. I'm not afraid of killing the High Priest, even if it condemns me to hell."

Hikusaak began to laugh. "You think you can kill me with some metal slug?" He spread his arms. "Go ahead. Take a shot. See what happens."

Clive fired.

Hikusaak died.

"Wha--" Sasarai gaped at the pile of ash where Hikusaak had been. "What did--How did--"

"No time to explain," Clive interrupted, and he hoisted one of Dios' arms onto his shoulder once again. "The prison is about to collapse. This is Suikoden, after all." And he looked at you, daring you to protest.

Fortunately, Sasarai and Clive got Dios through the hole, as well as a good distance underground, before the building collapsed completely, with a few explosions for good measure.

***

"Maybe we should take a break," Dios panted. "I don't know about you, Clive, but Lord Sasarai must be exhausted from carrying me."

"You don't have to call me 'Lord Sasarai,' Dios," Sasarai reminded him. "I'm a former bishop. And now that Hikusaak is dead, I bet I'm not the only one. But I guess we should take a break."

"Do you have any pastries, Sasarai?" asked Clive.

"No, unfortunately. I left them all at the tunnel entrance." He scowled. "Nash had better not eat all the Alexandertortes. Those were for the five of us." His voice softened, and he added, "But I guess we can go back to Limid and get some more." He and Clive put Dios down, and he closed his eyes. "So tell me, Clive--just what did you do to Hikusaak?"

"I risked my neck with the rest of the Guild, that's what." Clive laughed. "We had been working on something called a Rune Destroyer for years. 'Rune Destroyer' is sort of a misnomer, though--what it actually does is get past a True Rune's defenses, and destroys the body of the person bearing it."

"The Guild made something that dangerous?" Sasarai asked, his eyes widening. 

"Only one. I stole it, because I knew that Hikusaak was the most dangerous True Rune bearer in the world. Yuber is also dangerous, of course. But he's no good at planning things. Evil order is far deadlier than evil chaos, if you think about it." He paused. "There had been considerable debate on how, or if, it should be used. Of course, it's possible that they'll make more, but this has been 20 years in the making."

"You did all this for me?"

"Weren't you listening? I did it for everyone. Hikusaak was dangerous."

"That's true," Sasarai said.

"So what's going to happen to the Circle Rune?" Dios asked.

"Well..." Sasarai thought for a moment. "Different True Runes react to the deaths of their bearers in different ways. Most of them either pick a suitable host from whoever is nearby, or return to some Sindar sealing site. I'm guessing the Circle Rune has done the latter, given its nature. But who knows? Anyway, just because Hikusaak is gone, it doesn't necessarily mean that Harmonia will fall apart. However..." He stretched and stood up. "The reason Hikusaak was able to maintain such a vast kingdom was because he had Circle Rune. It is the Rune of order and stagnation, after all. Are we ready to keep going now? We should reunite Dios with his family as soon as possible. After that, it might be a good idea to leave Harmonia for the time being. Not just us, but you, too, Dios. And your family, of course. Hikusaak may have had picked a successor before his demise."

"I'm ready," Dios said, "but you two will still have to carry me."

***

"And did little Nino like the ball you got him?" Salome asked.

"Of course he did," Sasarai answered. "Dios and Nina never even went back home before leaving Harmonia. They're going back to Nina's home in Dunan, so it's all he'll have to play with for a while."

Salome smiled. "From what I've heard of Nino, he'll probably be happy to do so much travelling."

"Indeed." Sasarai chuckled as he stared into his tea. "It'll be lonely without Dios, but at least I have Nash and the others to keep me company. And this is a pretty lively town. I think I'll stay here for a while."

"Any idea of the situation in Harmonia?"

Sasarai shrugged. "Not surprisingly, the archbishops are denying Hikusaak's death. He hadn't made a public appearance in years, anyway, so they're experienced with this sort of thing. In fact, if I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't believe it myself. I even thought that maybe he faked it, but no. I no longer sense the Rune or his soul. He must be truly gone."

"And hopefully, he's burning in hell," said Nash, who had just stepped into the tea room.

"Eggnog?" Salome offered, gesturing to the jug on the table.

"Gladly." Nash held out a cup and Salome filled it. "That reminds me. Where are the other knights?"

"They'll be here soon," Salome said. "They're at the ball right now. Except for Lady Chris, who is still in Tinto. She'll be back New Year's Eve, I should think."

"She and Lilly really get along well, don't they?" Sasarai shook his head. "I can't imagine how hard it must be to find a Christmas present for someone like her."

"Oh, that reminds me." Salome stood up and headed for the door. "I have something to give you, Sasarai."

In a few minutes, he returned with a leopard coat. 

"Oh, my God!" Sasarai stood up quickly and almost knocked over his tea. "Salome this is...I never expected--oh, no, I don't even have anything for you--"

"It wasn't expensive," Salome assured him. "It's synthetic. But you don't really have a coat that's warm, do you?"

"Do men wear leopard coats?" Nash asked.

"They do now." Sasarai put it on. It was a perfect fit. "Thanks, Salome. I'll be sure to pay you back someday. Since I'll be staying in this area for a while, it shouldn't be too hard." He walked over to Salome and held out his hand. "In fact, why don't I treat you to dinner? I still have some money left over."

Salome gave him a faint, but genuine, smile. "That would be nice. How does six-thirty sound?"

"It sounds good." Sasarai stretched and yawned. "But it'll have to wait until tomorrow. I haven't had a good night's sleep in what feels like a century."

***

As Sasarai lay in bed that night, he reflected on the past several days. Things had turned out far better than he had expected: everyone was alive (except for Hikusaak), and...maybe, just maybe...something might start between him and Salome.

For once, Christmas wouldn't be spent alone in a temple, but with friends in a lively town. And for once, Sasarai could sleep with the knowledge that, for the first time in more years than he could count, he would get to sleep in tomorrow morning.

END


End file.
